Donbas as a "free economic zone". President questions this compromise from the US
Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting with the media (Photo: OP)

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a conversation with the media on December 11, voiced the US position on the issue of control over the temporarily occupied Donbas, the correspondent reports LIGA.net. According to him, if the Armed Forces of Ukraine have to withdraw, the Russian army should not enter.

"They see that Ukrainian troops are withdrawing from the territory of Donetsk region and the compromise seems to be that Russian troops do not enter this territory of Donetsk region. They don't know who will manage this territory, which they are already calling a 'free economic zone' or a 'demilitarized zone'," the President said.

He noted that there is a fair question about this "free economic zone": if the Ukrainian army is withdrawing as it is required to, why is the other side not required to withdraw the same distance in the other direction? There are also questions about the management of these territories and other issues. So, for now, the conversation on this is still ongoing.

"I heard all the proposals of the American side and, in fact, through them, the 'Russian' side regarding the territory of Donetsk region, and I said that it is definitely not in the interests of Ukraine. But we need to continue the conversation and try to find answers to all the questions so that everything would be more adequate," the President said.

He cited the example that if Ukraine withdraws 5 or 10 kilometers from the Donetsk region, Russia must withdraw the same distance. As in other wars, this needs to be monitored.

"If so, what is the difference between a 'free economic zone' and this principle? This is a parity principle," the president said.

But if the Ukrainian army withdraws and the Russian army remains in this "demilitarized zone," what will stop Moscow from advancing further, he asked. Or, for example, from infiltrating this zone under the guise of "civilians" and taking control of it.

"This is all very serious. It is not a fact that we as Ukraine will accept it, but when you tell us about a compromise, you have to give us a fair compromise," he emphasized.

  • on December 11, the FT reported that the United States had proposed in a peace plan that Russia did not withdraw troops from the demilitarized zone in Donbas, while Ukraine should have done the opposite.
  • According to the WSJ, the United States has already passed its plan to the Europeans russia's return to the global economy.