Zelenskyy willing to hold referendum on Trump peace deal if Russia agrees to ceasefire

Axios reported the information.

In an exclusive interview ahead of his Sunday meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Zelenskyy outlined his conditional willingness to bring the proposed peace deal before the Ukrainian people through a referendum. The plan, which includes contentious territorial concessions in eastern Ukraine, represents a significant shift in Zelenskyy's position, though he remains determined to secure better terms if possible.

"I think now we are at the next level, and that's why we need to negotiate with presidents," Zelenskyy said. "We want to finish it as quickly as possible. That's why I count on this meeting."

The Ukrainian leader stressed that any referendum would require a minimum 60-day ceasefire to ensure citizens can safely participate. Without adequate security, Zelenskyy warned, low turnout could undermine the vote's legitimacy and doom the entire process.

"It's better to not have a referendum than have a referendum where people do not have the possibility to come and vote," he argued.

Zelenskyy compared the potential vote to Britain's Brexit referendum—a deeply divisive national decision—but under far more challenging circumstances in a war-torn nation. He suggested that Trump himself might need to visit Ukraine to campaign for the deal, though he cautioned that ongoing Russian attacks would make any such effort futile. "The people will see the missiles," he said.

Progress has been made on bilateral agreements between Washington and Kyiv, with five documents already finalized and a possible sixth in the works. On security guarantees, Zelenskyy said the framework is largely complete, though he's pushing for a longer commitment than the proposed 15-year pact. "I think we need more than 15 years," he told reporters.

Both countries would need legislative approval for any security agreement, according to Zelenskyy, who praised the work of Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner alongside his own national security adviser Rustem Umerov.

A senior U.S. official indicated that Russia understands the need for a ceasefire if a referendum moves forward, though Moscow reportedly prefers a shorter timeline than Zelenskyy's two-month minimum.

Despite the diplomatic momentum, uncertainty remains about whether Russia will ultimately accept Trump's proposal. "I have some intelligence... but I'm at the moment when I want to believe only to the words of leaders," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president and Trump are scheduled to join European leaders for a conference call Saturday to coordinate their positions before Sunday's face-to-face meeting, where Zelenskyy hopes to establish a clear framework and timeline for ending the war.