Zelenskyy Backs Freeze At Frontlines Despite Russian Rejection

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Faced with relentless Russian attacks that threaten to destroy his nation’s energy infrastructure, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced support for U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s proposal for Kyiv and Moscow to freeze their war at the current frontlines. Zelenskyy called it “a good compromise” while admitting that Russian President Vladimir Putin made clear he would not accept the arrangement.

“I think that was a good compromise, but I’m not sure that Putin will support it, and I said it to the president,” Zelenskyy said during a visit to Oslo, part of a tour of Scandinavia to seek additional military support.

His remarks came as Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk accused Russia of a methodical campaign to destroy Ukraine’s energy system and said Moscow is targeting repair teams working at power facilities after the initial strikes.

Officials said Russia launched 405 drones and 28 missiles in its second major round of attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities so far this month, killing six people in Kyiv and the surrounding region and cutting off electricity across the country.

Moscow also appeared to test the resolve of the NATO military alliance, with Russian officials confirming that Tu-22M3 long-range bombers conducted “a scheduled flight” over “neutral waters” in the Baltic Sea.

At various stages of the mission, the nuclear-capable bombers were escorted by fighter jets from “foreign countries,” the Defense Ministry announced through Russian media.

TRUMP-PUTIN SUMMIT POSTPONED

The latest tensions came after Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that “they [Russia and Ukraine] can negotiate something later on down the line. But I said cut and stop at the battle line.”

He spoke shortly before his planned summit with Putin in Budapest was put on hold after Russia said its goal of gaining full control over the eastern Donbas region — including areas currently held by Ukraine — had not changed.

Trump’s comments were seen as a modest win for Zelenskyy. His remarks signaled a shift toward direct diplomacy, but critics warned the approach risks reducing Ukraine’s leverage and could be seen as “rewarding Russian aggression.”

The U.S. leader has repeatedly shifted positions on key aspects of the war, including whether a ceasefire should precede broader peace talks, and has at times appeared to consider Putin’s territorial demands.

Zelenskyy and his senior officials have previously acknowledged that Ukraine is unlikely to regain all occupied territory by military means and have privately told Washington and European partners they would be open to freezing the frontlines. Still, the president’s public endorsement marks a notable shift from his earlier stance when Kyiv vowed to reclaim all land lost to Russia.

Yet Russia has made clear its maximalist position remains unchanged. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday: “Washington now starts to say that we must stop [the conflict] immediately, that we should no longer discuss anything, that we should stop, and let history judge.”

‘ROOT CAUSES OF WAR’

Moscow’s “root causes” of the war, Lavrov reiterated, include full control of the Donbas region and limits on Kyiv’s armed forces — demands critics say would undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty.

However, European leaders have cautiously supported Trump’s proposal as a starting point for negotiations.

Moscow’s refusal to halt its offensive and the related postponement of the planned Trump-Putin summit signaled deep division over next steps, according to a Worthy News analysis.

Kyiv now says it is examining how any ceasefire could be effectively monitored, citing Russia’s record of violating past truces.

Critics say Zelenskyy’s public backing of a frontline freeze is a pragmatic acknowledgment of heavy losses, aimed at securing Western support while keeping diplomatic options open.

Lavrov’s rejection also underscored Moscow’s insistence on full territorial control in eastern Ukraine and its unwillingness to accept a ceasefire without major concessions from Kyiv following recent battlefield gains.

TEMPORARY HALT IN FIGHTING

European Union and NATO leaders have broadly welcomed efforts to explore a temporary halt to fighting but stressed it must not come at the expense of Ukraine’s sovereignty or security.

Analysts said Zelenskyy’s endorsement of a frontline freeze reflects growing realism in Kyiv and fatigue among allies after more than two years of war.

“It’s a tactical shift that recognizes military limits while keeping pressure on Moscow,” said Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Ukrainian defense analyst.

Western observers, including Chatham House researcher Keir Giles, cautioned that “any freeze at current lines effectively cements Russian occupation unless accompanied by iron-clad guarantees and enforcement.”

Others argued that Trump’s proposal, though controversial, could serve as a framework for new diplomacy. “It’s the first time in months that all major parties — Washington, Kyiv and Moscow — are again talking about a line, even if they disagree on what that line should mean,” said Marta Wójcik, a Central European Institute analyst.

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