Russia does not want referendum on Trump’s peace plan in Ukraine, Zelenskyy says
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (Getty Images)
A referendum on the US peace plan in Ukraine would be disadvantageous for Russia, as Moscow would then be unable to call the decision "illegitimate," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this while answering journalists’ questions.
"They (the Russians - ed.) don’t want a referendum. We must understand — Russia doesn’t want any referendum at all," the president emphasized.
He noted that Moscow does not want to ensure security during a referendum. It would find many reasons to prevent a ceasefire, without which a referendum would be impossible.
According to Zelenskyy, the peace plan could also be sent to parliament for consideration, and he is not opposed to that scenario. However, even if the parliament approves it, the Russians could still claim it is an "illegitimate parliament" that has been in office for more than five years.
"But it is impossible to call the decision of the Ukrainian people through a referendum illegitimate. There cannot be an illegitimate Ukrainian people. The decisions of Ukrainian citizens are the most important," he stressed.
Referendum in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously emphasized that the US 20-point peace plan should be confirmed through a referendum. Kyiv and Washington have not yet fully agreed on some disputed issues, so the final decision is expected to be made by the Ukrainian people.
In particular, Ukraine and the US have not reached an agreement on the issue of territories. The status of the Donetsk region remains contentious, as Russia demands control over it.
The Ukrainian leader also stressed that a ceasefire of at least 60 days would be necessary to hold a referendum.
According to Axios sources, the Russians reportedly understand the need for a ceasefire but are not satisfied with the timeline proposed by Zelenskyy.
