A ceasefire and the start of peace talks are possible only if the armed forces of both sides remain at their current positions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with NBC on October 19.
“I understand that we need to end this war — and to begin ending it from where our soldiers stand, from the line of contact. (…)
If we want to stop this war and urgently move to peace negotiations through diplomatic means, we must stay where we are,”
Zelensky said, according to Bloomberg, as cited by RBC.
In his traditional evening address, Zelensky also spoke on several key issues, according to UNIAN. He said that Ukraine, together with its international partners, is getting closer to a potential end of the war with Russia — largely thanks to the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump. Zelensky stressed, however, that the war cannot end quickly, as Ukraine has been resisting the Russian army for more than three years.
At the same time, he noted that there is now a strong global political demand to stop the war.
The president also announced that Ukraine is preparing a contract for 25 Patriot air defense systems. Deliveries will be spread over several years, with systems handed over as they are produced. However, the White House could speed up shipments if there is political will. Funding is expected to come primarily from frozen Russian assets, though other mechanisms are being explored within the framework of 28 bilateral security agreements.
Commenting on media reports about Russia’s demands regarding Donbas, Zelensky stated firmly:
“There will be no retreat.”
He explained that the issue of Donbas, as well as of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, remains unresolved. According to Zelensky, Russia likely means it will not advance further, while the U.S. side interprets the situation as an opportunity for Ukraine to regain its territories.
“If Ukraine swallows what is being put on its plate — a bad territorial deal — then everything else will be decided without us,”
the president emphasized.
Zelensky added that Trump is effectively giving Putin another chance. Ukraine, he said, is ready for talks in any format, but Budapest is not the best venue. He explained to U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff why the idea of holding a meeting in Hungary should be reconsidered. Alternative locations discussed include Switzerland, Austria, the Vatican, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey.
However, Zelensky underscored that “the main thing is not the venue, but that the talks be real, not formal.”
Meanwhile, according to RBC, on October 20 Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a bill to extend martial law and mobilization in Ukraine. The draft law proposes prolonging both measures across the country for another 90 days — from November 2025 to February 2026.
