Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that freezing combat operations along the current front line is a realistic path to ending Russia's war against Ukraine. The head of state announced this in an interview with the American TV channel Fox News, as cited by RBC-Ukraine. The journalist directly asked Zelenskyy whether he would agree to a peace agreement that would freeze all provisions along the current front line, provided that Ukraine retains 75% or more of its territory "regardless of how it all started." The president answered in the affirmative.
"We could freeze everything right now"
"Yes, right now we could freeze everything. I believe this is a realistic path to ending this war," Zelenskyy emphasized, adding that a peace agreement in such a format could stop what he called "Russian terror." According to him, Ukraine calls this scenario a ceasefire or "stopping the killings," as previously formulated by US President Donald Trump. "Freeze and stop. And, of course, this is the minimum we demand from Russia today," the Ukrainian leader stated.
Security guarantees as the next step
Zelenskyy explained that after freezing combat operations, Ukraine will seek security guarantees from US President Donald Trump and European allies to ensure long-term peace and security. Thus, according to his logic, stopping the fire is not viewed as a final point, but as the first mandatory stage to be followed by a guarantee system. Earlier, at a joint press conference with the leaders of Lithuania and Poland in Vilnius, Zelenskyy had already stated that the document on security guarantees from the US is 100% ready for signing.
Context: Oslo talks and position assessment
The statement came against the backdrop of active diplomatic engagement: on October 20, Ukrainian, American, and European delegations in Oslo discussed ways to end the war, including the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy also noted earlier that Ukraine is not losing the war but facing another serious problem, and expressed readiness for a personal meeting with the Russian leader, emphasizing that results matter more than words. According to his estimates, Russia loses more than 30,000 military personnel monthly while making minor gains on the battlefield, which, the president said, gives Ukraine "a good negotiating position."
What this means
Zelenskyy's position establishes Kyiv's readiness to consider a "freeze" scenario as an acceptable minimum, provided that security guarantees are subsequently secured. The wording "the minimum we demand from Russia" indicates that the Ukrainian side is taking the issue of territorial concessions off the table and focusing on stopping hostilities and institutionally securing peace. Future dynamics will depend on Moscow's response and whether the text of the guarantees can be agreed upon with the US and European partners.
