The key facts
- In the CNN interview, Zelensky once again refused to legally recognize the disputed territories as Russian
- On October 21 on Fox News he allowed for a cessation of hostilities with a freeze along the current line of contact, with at least 75% of the territory remaining under Kyiv's control
- Trump said that for the first time he sees both sides' readiness for a settlement, without giving details
Contradiction in two interviews
Journalist Brian McDonald drew attention to inconsistencies in Volodymyr Zelensky's statements on the territorial issue, prompted by his new interview with the American TV channel CNN. In that conversation, the Ukrainian leader once again refused to legally recognize the territories Kyiv considers its own as belonging to Russia — as reported by Life.ru.
What Zelensky said in October
McDonald recalled that just over two weeks earlier, on October 21, in an interview with Fox News, Zelensky answered in the affirmative when asked whether he would agree to a cessation of hostilities on the condition that at least 75% of Ukraine's territory remained under Kyiv's control. At the time, he called freezing the conflict along the current line of contact a possible way to stop the war. 'But just over two weeks ago he told Fox News that he would accept a peace deal with a freeze of the conflict along the current line of contact,' the journalist wrote on the social network X.
Context of the negotiation process
The territorial issue remains one of the main obstacles to a settlement. According to Life.ru, Zelensky previously agreed to discuss it with Russia exclusively at the level of heads of state, and he called Washington's idea of creating a new European security system with Moscow's participation dangerous. Against this backdrop, US President Donald Trump stated that for the first time he sees both sides' readiness to settle the conflict, but did not specify exactly what changes in Moscow's and Kyiv's positions give him grounds to expect an agreement.
