Ukraine's Rejection of the US Proposal
Ukraine rejected the US proposal to create a demilitarized 'free economic zone' in Donbas. On Monday, December 15, a meeting of European leaders will take place in Berlin, which will be attended by President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as American intermediaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. This meeting aims to discuss the conditions for resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
The proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump includes withdrawing troops from certain areas and creating a demilitarized 'free economic zone' in Donbas. However, on December 11, Volodymyr Zelensky publicly expressed Ukraine's position, which categorically rejected this proposal. He noted that there are questions regarding the management of territories if one side of the conflict withdraws, while the other side does not take similar steps.
Zelensky emphasized that when it comes to a 'free economic zone', it is important to ask why one side of the war should retreat if the other side does not do the same. Source: Volodymyr Zelensky
These questions remain relevant in the context of the discussion on resolving the situation in Donbas, highlighting the complexity of the conflict and the necessity of finding balanced solutions.
Ukraine's rejection of the US proposal indicates that Kyiv seeks to maintain control over the territory and is not ready to make concessions that may be perceived as weakness. The meeting in Berlin will be an important stage in further negotiations, as EU and US leaders will attempt to find a solution that meets the interests of all parties and contributes to stability in the region.