"National Referendum Required for 20-Point Peace Plan...
At Least 60-Day Ceasefire Needed"
On December 29 (local time), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he wants security guarantees for up to 50 years, rather than the 15-year security plan proposed by the United States.
According to major local media outlets, President Zelensky conveyed this message via a messenger app after concluding a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump the previous day.
President Zelensky explained that President Trump said the draft peace plan for ending the war includes a 15-year U.S. security guarantee. However, Zelensky stated, "I sincerely wanted the guarantee to be longer," adding, "I told him I would seriously consider the possibility of 30, 40, or even 50 years." Regarding President Trump's response, Zelensky said, "He replied that he would take that into consideration."
On the sensitive issue of territory, Zelensky said, "We are still negotiating a proposal to designate the Donbas region as a free economic zone," and added, "For now, there are no additional details." He also noted, "The idea of a free economic zone is something that must be discussed with the Ukrainian people." The issue of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remains unresolved as well.
He insisted that the 20-point peace plan must be put to a national referendum in Ukraine, and that at least a 60-day ceasefire would be required for such a referendum to take place.
President Zelensky maintains that the current martial law in effect will only be lifted after the war with Russia ends and Western security guarantees are secured.
He also stated that Ukraine, the United States, Russia, and Europe must all sign the 20-point peace plan, and that a working group may be needed for this purpose. In addition, he expressed his hope that U.S. and European representatives would soon meet in Ukraine to finalize the peace plan.
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