Zelenskyy on the territories: I will be satisfied with a stop along the front line if there is a ceasefire tomorrow

Zelenskyy answers how Ukraine can return the occupied territories. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that he does not recognise the occupied territories as Russian. At the same time, if there is a ceasefire tomorrow, he is ready to agree to a temporary halt to hostilities on the current front line, and the return of Ukrainian lands will take place later through diplomatic means.

He said this in an interview with Axios.

In particular, the journalist asked what territorial concessions Zelenskyy was ready to make for peace.

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«No, we will never recognise the occupied territories as Russian territory. We cannot do that,» the president replied.

When asked if he was ready to agree to border changes in the event of a ceasefire, Zelenskyy explained:

«If we look at the current situation and there is a ceasefire tomorrow and everyone understands that we do not have the power to return these territories back, then we are ready to talk about it. We are ready to return it back at some point in the future through diplomatic means, not armed means. And I think this is a good compromise for everyone,» Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

He added that such issues should be resolved through dialogue with minimal losses.

Earlier, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he did not intend to remain the head of state in peacetime and planned to ask the parliament to organise elections after the ceasefire.