Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Washington expressed its intention to see a withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbass, but without requesting a similar step from Russian troops.
An indication which, according to the head of state, raises questions about the role and expectations of allies towards Ukraine. During a meeting with journalists, including representatives of the AFP agency, Zelensky reiterated that any hypothesis of territorial compromise can only be taken into consideration through a democratic process that directly involves Ukrainian citizens.
«I believe that the Ukrainian people will answer this question. Whether it is an election or a referendum, there must be a position of the Ukrainian people,” the president said, stressing that no decision regarding sovereignty or territorial integrity can be made without a clear popular mandate. Zelensky’s position confirms the line maintained by Kiev so far: the desire to resist external pressure and to let the citizens determine any changes in the status of the currently disputed territories.