Zelenskyy proposes halting the fighting at the current positions and moving to negotiations

Ceasefire along the current positions, followed by negotiations — this is the fastest way to end the hot phase of the war, proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He outlined his position in an interview with Danish broadcaster DR Nyheder.

The president also links a ceasefire to the possibility of slowing the pace of mobilization and reviving the economy while negotiations are underway.

“The fastest way to end Russia’s war is to hold our positions and move to negotiations. It is very important that we have decided to stop where we are, cease fire, and move to the diplomatic track. This could take a month, two months, or a year. Or even longer than we expect. But we will end the hot phase of the war, and people will stop dying,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

At the same time, the president acknowledged that implementing this scenario would require agreements on a number of difficult issues, including:

• the parties’ positions;
• the monitoring mission’s mandate;
• demilitarization;
• the involvement of European partners;
• reconstruction funding.

Vladimir Putin insists on a different sequence: first agree on a comprehensive plan, and only then cease hostilities.

“If Putin does not want a ceasefire and says, ‘No, I want a long-term plan covering various issues — difficult, sensitive, and less sensitive ones. And then, once we sign this long-term plan, we will stop the war,’ that simply means he does not want to stop the war,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.

Today, November 10, the delegations of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia moved to a trilateral format for negotiations in the United Arab Emirates. The main topics include ending hostilities and finding ways to bring the war to a close.

We wrote earlier:

• Europe to join talks on ending the war in Ukraine
• Zelenskyy sees no point in calling Putin and insists on a ceasefire
• Zelenskyy: Ukraine is ready to freeze the war along the current front line
• Five ceasefire options: Ukraine is ready; steps from Russia are needed
• Negotiations amid explosions? Putin does not want to stop the fighting even for talks