'We can't just withdraw from our territories,' —Zelensky says following his meeting with Trump
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine cannot simply withdraw from its territories as part of any peace deal with Russia, emphasizing that the issue goes beyond legal constraints and affects people’s lives, during an interview with Fox News' Bret Baier aired on Dec. 29.
"We can't just withdraw, it's out of our law. We can't just withdraw from our territories. (But) it's not only the law," Zelensky said. "People live there, 300,000 people... We can't lose those people."
Zelensky's remarks follow a Dec. 28 meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence, which he described as productive.
"I’m thankful to President Trump, really, it was a very productive meeting and in Mar-a-Lago maybe another mood here," Zelensky said following what looked like one of the better face-to-face meetings between him and Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, their sixth in a year.
The Ukrainian president added that a 20-point draft of the revised peace plan to end Russia's full-scale war is now almost complete: "...When I said (that) 90 percent (of the plan is complete) it's true because there are (issues) with only with two points,” Zelensky said, adding that the remaining unresolved issue centers on territories.
"Yes, this is difficult question," he added.
Zelensky stressed that while Ukraine and Russia hold opposing views on territorial issues, the United States understands the positions of both sides and "tries to find a compromise."
Zelensky said Ukraine has demonstrated concrete steps toward peace over the past month and raised the possibility of a referendum on the peace plan. At the same time, Zelensky said a referendum could not be used to justify withdrawing from Ukrainian territory under current conditions.
"We can't go out because 100,000 have been wounded, dozens have been killed there," he said, referring to Ukrainian losses. "And also our army (is) there."
Instead, Zelensky said Ukraine has proposed establishing a demilitarized free economic zone as a compromise, under which both sides would take reciprocal steps and pull back their forces by several kilometers.
Zelensky said Russia’s recent territorial gains, estimated at roughly 3,000 square kilometers per year, have come at a staggering human cost, with about 400,000 Russian casualties over the past year and roughly 31,000 killed each month.
While Trump claimed on Dec. 28 that "Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed," speaking alongside Zelensky, adding that Putin is "working with Ukraine" to open the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Zelensky remains skeptical that Russian President Vladimir Putin genuinely seeks peace.
"I don't trust Russians and... I don't trust Putin and he doesn't want success for Ukraine,” Zelensky added, saying that pressure from the United States remains critical.
"Sanctions, dialogue, he has some instruments," he said.
Asked whether Ukraine could win the war without U.S. support, Zelensky answered bluntly.
“No, because we can't,” he said. “Without American support, we can't defend the sky.”
He said U.S.-supplied air defense systems and ammunition remain essential as Russia continues to launch hundreds of drones and missiles.
Zelensky also discussed security guarantees, saying Ukraine is seeking long-term, legally binding commitments from the U.S., ideally with congressional backing.
"Today we spoke with the president and there is a proposition. The first proposition is a security guarantees for 15 years," he said. "It's good proposition with possibility of continuation."
He added that while the proposed guarantees would not constitute NATO membership, they would be “NATO like.”
Zelensky acknowledged war fatigue among Ukrainians but said public support remains clear.
“People want this, 87% support peace. At the same time, 85 percent against to withdraw from east, from the Donbas," he said.
Asked whether peace on acceptable terms is possible, Zelensky said Ukraine has no alternative but to pursue it: “We have to do (it), we don't have other way. Other way will be the war."
