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Zelenskyy weighs referendum on near-final Ukraine peace plan requiring ceasefire agreement
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed holding a national referendum to decide the fate of a nearly finalized peace plan aimed at ending the long war with Russia. He said the vote would only be possible under a ceasefire lasting at least 60 days, ensuring safe conditions for citizens to participate nationwide.
The proposal follows Zelenskyy’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, where the two leaders held intensive talks on the framework for a potential settlement. According to Zelenskyy, the 20-point plan is already “90% agreed,” with the remaining issues centered mainly on territorial control in the Donbas region. Both leaders expressed cautious optimism that the framework could pave a path toward an enduring peace.
Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine would remain committed to preserving its sovereignty and the integrity of its laws. The discussions focused on securing a firm withdrawal of Russian forces from regions such as Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv, potentially paired with the creation of a special economic zone in Donbas to ease political and economic tensions. Such a decision, he noted, must ultimately be approved by Ukrainian citizens through direct democratic consent.
Security guarantees form a cornerstone of the agreement, modeled on collective defense principles similar to NATO’s Article 5. Under the plan, Ukraine would maintain a military force of around 800,000 during peacetime and continue integration efforts within the European Union. The framework also covers prisoner swaps, civilian releases, and the establishment of oversight mechanisms for troop redeployment.
Trump described the negotiations as “very close to completion,” saying the security aspects were “95% done” and emphasizing his belief that a final understanding was within reach. For Zelenskyy, the referendum represents both a step toward legitimacy and a gesture of faith in democratic participation amid one of Ukraine’s most defining moments in decades.
