Zelenskyy: 60 days and complete ceasefire needed before holding referendum on peace agreement
A referendum on a full agreement that will secure the end of the war can be held in Ukraine, but for it to be held, a minimum of 60 days and a complete ceasefire for this period are required, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.
"We can go to a referendum on a full agreement that will secure the end of the war. Because people can choose: this ending suits us or not. And then a referendum. A referendum needs at least 60 days. And we need a real ceasefire for 60 days. Otherwise, we will not hold it," Zelenskyy said during a conversation with journalists on Tuesday.
The president noted that such a referendum would not be legitimate, and an illegitimate referendum is a split within the state. According to him, a referendum is a challenge, but it can be unifying.
"But who will go to the referendum under gunfire? I deeply understand how many millions of people there must be for a referendum to be legitimate. There are some people in the temporarily occupied territories, they cannot vote. And let's be honest - they cannot choose how we end the war," the head of state noted.
In addition, according to him, the process of preparing for the referendum and voting in the controlled territory must take place in conditions of security.
"If there is no security, legitimacy is also in question. We explain all this to our partners," Zelenskyy added.