Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that he would accept a freeze of the war along its current frontlines, publicly backing a ceasefire framework that would leave Russia in control of the territory it now occupies while negotiations move forward.
Zelensky made the remarks during an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” where co-host Brian Kilmeade pressed him on whether he would agree to a deal that would effectively halt the fighting where the battlefield stands today.
“Would you accept a peace deal that freezes everything the way it is right now, where you still keep 75% or more of your country?” Kilmeade asked.
“Yes,” Zelensky replied. “Right now, we have to freeze and I think this is [the] real way to end this war.”
The Ukrainian leader echoed language used by President Trump.
“We call it ceasefire or ‘stop killing’ as President Trump called it. Freeze and stop,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky emphasized that a halt in fighting would only be the first step. He argued that any agreement would require firm guarantees to keep Russia from restarting the war.
“And, of course, this is [the] minimum [of] what we need from Russia today. Then we will go to the president and Europeans and ask [for] security guarantees,” he said.
The Ukrainian president stressed that lasting security is just as important as ending the fighting itself.
“The most important is peace and also security [of] peace,” Zelensky said. “Not to be afraid that occupation will come back, aggression will come back, killings will come back. We have to stop this and that’s why [we need] freeze and talks. And security guarantees from the United States and prosperity from our partners for innovation of our lives.”
Zelensky’s comments come as Trump ramps up pressure on Kyiv to reach a settlement with Moscow. The president has repeatedly pushed the idea of stopping the fighting along the existing front.
Russia, however, has continued to demand control of additional Ukrainian territory, including parts of Donetsk that its forces do not currently hold.
The two sides remain far apart on key issues, including the final status of occupied territory and what any postwar security arrangement would look like. Moscow has also continued to oppose Ukraine joining NATO, while Kyiv has pressed Washington and European governments for binding guarantees against future Russian aggression.
Zelensky framed a frontline “freeze” not as a final territorial settlement, but as a way to shift from combat to negotiations and to help rebuild Ukraine.
As part of that rebuilding effort, the Ukrainian president said he wants millions of his countrymen to return home.
“We need 9.5 million people which are broad everywhere,” Zelensky said. “We need them to come back to Ukraine, just to live and to build their country.”
The remarks mark a notable public statement from Zelensky as Trump continues to push for an end to the war. Whether Moscow would accept a freeze along the current lines, given its continued demands for more Ukrainian territory, remains an open question.
[READ MORE: Russia Releases Michigan Teacher After Trump’s Direct Appeal to Putin]
