Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a peace agreement with Russia is about '90 percent' complete but that the remaining 10 percent includes the crucial issues. He warned any settlement must not reward Moscow and must include strong security guarantees to deter future invasions. The United States has tried to mediate, but core territorial disputes—especially over the Donbas—remain unresolved. Zelensky rejected the notion that withdrawing from Donbas would end Russia's ambitions.
Zelensky: Ukraine '90% Ready' For A Peace Deal — Remaining 10% Will Decide Ukraine And Europe
Zelensky told Ukrainians a peace deal was '90 percent' ready (Handout)(Handout/UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE/AFP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his New Year's Eve address that a peace agreement with Russia is '90 percent' ready, but warned the remaining 10 percent contains the decisive issues that could determine the fate of Ukraine and Europe.
In remarks posted to his Telegram account, the wartime president said Ukraine wants an end to the war, but not 'at any cost.' He stressed that any settlement must not reward Moscow and must include strong, enforceable security guarantees to deter future aggression.
Sticking Points: Territory And Security
The United States has sought to broker a deal with input from both Moscow and Kyiv, but negotiators have not bridged the core territorial dispute that would define a post‑war settlement. Russian President Vladimir Putin has pushed for full control of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region as part of any agreement.
'The peace agreement is 90 percent ready. Ten percent remains. And that is far more than just numbers,' Zelensky said. 'Those are the 10 percent that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe.'
Zelensky warned that conceding the Donbas would not guarantee an end to Russia's ambitions. 'Pull out from the Donbas, and it will all be over' is, he said, a deception — one that he believes would encourage further aggression rather than provide lasting peace.
He argued that the unresolved 10 percent is not merely technical detail but contains the political, territorial and security guarantees necessary to preserve Ukraine's sovereignty. Any acceptable peace deal, Zelensky said, must include mechanisms that prevent renewed invasions and avoid rewarding territorial conquest.
Reporter note: The comments were delivered publicly and posted on Zelensky's Telegram channel. No final agreement has been announced.
