Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected the idea of ending the war with Russia by freezing the conflict along the current line of contact. He argues that it would leave cities divided and communities abandoned, and create a situation reminiscent of Cold War–era Berlin.
This was reported by the news outlet UNN.
“There are regions, there are cities, there are towns that are cut by one or another contact line,” Zelenskyy told U.S. President Donald Trump during a phone call on March 19.
“If you leave this line in some places, you will simply leave places or towns without life. No one will return to half the city.”
Drawing a historical parallel, he added:
“Do we want Berlin? Do we want many cities like this? The Berlin Wall is not an option,” Zelenskyy added.
Zelenskyy described the issue of territories as the most difficult obstacle in conflict resolution, emphasizing that Ukraine will not legally recognize Russian control over any occupied regions.
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During the same call, Zelenskyy and Trump also discussed the future of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which remains under Russian occupation.
According to Zelenskyy, Kyiv is open to transferring management of the facility to the United States, provided that Washington invests in upgrading the plant and supplies technical personnel.
The proposal reflects a growing interest in involving the U.S. not only in Ukraine’s military defense, but also in the stabilization and reconstruction of critical infrastructure.
Potential Deployment of Foreign Troops
Zelenskyy also revealed that some allied countries have signaled readiness to deploy troops to Ukraine, depending on their respective roles.
“There are those who are ready to be on the border, those who are in dangerous places, those who are only at sea or in central cities,” Zelenskyy explained.
“We must work out a common vision. Specific countries with quantitative composition must appear on the map.”
Moscow Rules Out Frontline-Based Freeze
Russia, for its part, has also rejected any idea of freezing the war along the current contact line.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated that Moscow views the four occupied regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—as part of the Russian Federation, now enshrined in its Constitution.
“There were ideas of ‘let's leave the contact line—this is Russian, and this is Ukrainian.’ Firstly, this will not happen,” Lavrov said.
“And secondly, what remains of Ukraine must also be freed from racist laws.”
President Vladimir Putin has gone further, demanding that Ukrainian forces withdraw from the remaining parts of those regions not yet under Russian control as a precondition for talks.
