Zelensky: ready to hold a referendum on the Trump plan with a ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today (Friday) in a conversation with N12 that he hopes to reach an agreement with President Donald Trump on a framework for ending the war, when the two will meet on Sunday. Zelensky revealed that he is ready to put the plan to a referendum, if Russia agrees to a ceasefire of at least 60 days.

• Although Zelensky emphasized that significant progress has been made, Trump’s plan still requires painful territorial concessions on the part of Ukraine in the east of the country.
• Zelensky still hopes to improve these conditions, saying that he will need the approval of the Ukrainian people if he fails to reach a “strong” position on the territorial issue.

• The American side sees this as a significant step forward that Zelensky is ready to hold a referendum and no longer rules out territorial concessions.
• However, as Zelensky emphasized in a conversation with N12, holding such a referendum is accompanied by heavy political, logistical and security difficulties.
• According to him, a 60-day ceasefire is the “minimum” required to organize and hold such a vote. A senior American official told N12 that the Russians understand the need for a ceasefire if Zelensky holds a referendum, but prefer a shorter timetable.

• Zelensky added that it is still not clear to him whether Russia is even ready to agree to Trump’s plan. “I have some intelligence… but I am at a stage where I want to believe only the words of the leaders,” he said.

• Zelensky spoke to N12 two days before a planned meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
• Zelensky said most of the elements of the agreements between the US and Ukraine have already been settled and anchored in five documents, although a sixth document may be added.
• Regarding security guarantees, the main issue – Zelensky said: “I think we are ready with these documents”, although there are still “technical details” that require further discussion.
• One of the issues is the duration of the agreement. The US proposed a 15-year agreement with the possibility of an extension. “I think we need more than 15 years,” Zelensky said, adding that he would consider it a “great success” if Trump agreed to it at their meeting.

• Zelensky said that both the US and Ukraine will bring the security guarantees to the approval of their legislatures.
• He praised Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as well as his own team led by National Security Adviser Rustam Umerov, for their work.

• Zelensky said he still wants to try to improve the position on the territorial issue, but if the plan requires a “very difficult decision,” he believes the right way would be to bring the entire 20-point plan to a referendum.
• He compared it to the Brexit referendum in the UK – with intense campaigns on both sides around a very complex issue – but under much more difficult conditions and in a country at war.
• Zelensky confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner are ready to come to Ukraine to present the benefits of the agreement, and even indicated that it might be worthwhile for Trump himself to come to convince.

• However, he warned that if such a campaign were to take place at a time of ongoing Russian attacks, it would fail. “With all the talk about security guarantees and economic benefits – the people will see the missiles,” he said.
• Zelensky reiterated the need for a real ceasefire, which would last at least two months.
• If people cannot come to vote due to security concerns, the result will appear illegitimate, according to him. “It is better not to hold a referendum at all than to hold a referendum where people cannot come to vote,” he said.

• Zelensky, Trump and a group of European leaders are expected to hold a conference call on Saturday to update everyone on developments, according to a Ukrainian source. Zelensky said he hopes to also “be in touch with the Europeans” during his meeting with Trump on Sunday.
• He said the purpose of Sunday’s meeting with Trump is to use the progress already made to formulate a framework for ending the war, including timetables.

• “I think we are now in the next phase, so we need to conduct negotiations between presidents,” he said. “We want to finish it as soon as possible. That’s why I’m building on this meeting.”
• Zelensky also emphasized the resilience of the Ukrainian people, who celebrate Christmas during wartime: “People at the front protect the country, and at the same time they have moments when they celebrate Christmas.”