Zelenskyy: possibility of creating free economic zone in Donetsk region may be considered after Ukraine provided security guarantees
The possibility of creating a free economic zone in part of the Donetsk region may be considered after security guarantees are provided for Ukraine; if this decision is made, a separate agreement will be concluded between Ukraine, the United States and the Russian Federation, which will determine the status of the special economic zone, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.
"As soon as security guarantees for Ukraine are provided, the parties may consider the possibility of creating a free economic zone in part of the Donetsk region. If this decision is made, a separate agreement will be concluded between Ukraine, the United States and the Russians, which will determine the status of the special economic zone, and also determine the steps that both sides of the conflict should take on an equivalent basis to move forces," Zelenskyy said during a conversation with journalists on Tuesday.
He stressed that in the case of creating such a zone in Donbas at a distance of 5, 10, 40 km from the contact line, then the Russians should take a step back with their troops by 5, 10 or 40 km, respectively.
"The part where our troops withdrew, here is our administration and our police, because this is a free economic zone, and there must be someone there, for example, who maintains law and order, etc. Definitely not the Russian so-called police. And now, where they are – where they withdrew – their forces are located," the president noted.
The head of state noted that the Russians have repeatedly broken their promises, so today's contact line is turning into a line of a de facto free economic zone.
"And then there must be international forces there who really guarantee on the ground that no one will enter there under any guise – neither "little green men" nor Russian military disguised as civilians," he stressed.
Zelenskyy added that only a referendum can determine whether the citizens of Ukraine agree to the Ukrainian military withdrawing from Donetsk, where a "free economic zone" will be created.
"Remember the story about "exchanging territories"? No one could fully understand what exchanging territories meant. And here is their proposal. The proposal looked like they were leaving these territories and wanted us to leave Donbas, where a "free economic zone" would be created," he said.
"If we reach a potential free economic zone in Donbas, we explain that according to Ukrainian legislation we cannot do this. Even potentially," the president added.
According to Zelenskyy, if this is the case, then this is some kind of special format, "and therefore, a special decision, and therefore, this is a referendum – only a referendum can determine whether people agree to such a path, if the proposal for Ukraine is exactly this – either this or war."