Peskov Says Zelenskyy Can End War via Donbass Withdrawal

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could end the conflict with Russia in a single day by ordering the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donbass region. In an interview with the Swiss magazine Die Weltwoche, Peskov argued that Zelenskyy must recognize the current territorial reality on the ground as a legal fact.

Peskov defended Russia's military operations as a necessary response following failed negotiations with European capitals and the United States. He characterized the conflict as a full-scale war involving Western backers who provide Ukraine with weapons, intelligence, and military advisers. He further accused NATO countries of militarizing and moving infrastructure closer to Russian borders.

While describing bilateral ties with Washington as being at zero, Peskov asserted that communication channels remain open to avoid nuclear escalation. These statements follow a period of intensified long-range strikes by Ukraine and continued Russian demands for territorial concessions as a prerequisite for a peace settlement.