Kiev is prepared to consider talks on withdrawing Ukrainian troops from Donbass — but only if Moscow makes a reciprocal move. Vladimir Zelensky laid out this position in an interview with Axios.

He made it clear that a unilateral pullout by the Armed Forces of Ukraine would not pass at home. According to Zelensky, Ukrainian society would reject any peace deal that looked like a concession without a corresponding step from Russia. He also stressed that decisive agreements on territorial issues could only be reached through a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zelensky said U.S. negotiators — President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner — had assured him that Moscow was genuinely interested in ending the conflict. In response, he urged them not to advance a settlement formula that Ukrainians might interpret as defeat.

Among the ideas under discussion is the transformation of Donbass into a demilitarized free economic zone. However, the question of sovereignty over the territory remains undefined. Kiev and Washington have also agreed that any potential peace agreement should be put to a referendum in Ukraine.

In addition, the sides agreed that, if a ceasefire is achieved, compliance would be monitored under U.S. leadership using unmanned aerial vehicles.

Zelensky added that if a future document were to formalize the current line of contact, such an option could receive public backing in a nationwide referendum.