Zelensky says in an interview Ukraine would accept freezing the war along current front lines as a path to ending the conflict

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would accept freezing the war along its current front lines as an initial step toward ending the conflict with Russia, while insisting Kyiv would need security guarantees against renewed aggression.

Zelensky made the remarks Wednesday, October 21, in an interview with Brian Kilmeade on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.”

Asked whether he would accept a deal that froze the situation where it is now, leaving Ukraine in control of roughly 75% or more of its territory, Zelensky replied: “Yes. Right now, we have to freeze.”

“I think this is a real way to end this war,” he said, describing the proposal as a ceasefire or a “stop killing” arrangement. Zelensky said a freeze would be the minimum first step before negotiations and would need to be followed by U.S. and European security guarantees.

He stressed that accepting a ceasefire along the existing battlefield lines would not mean Ukraine voluntarily abandoning its territory. “We cannot leave our country and our homes,” Zelensky said, arguing that Russian forces had failed to win on the battlefield and were instead seeking to pressure Kyiv into giving up land.

Zelensky also said U.S. early-warning intelligence on Russian ballistic missile attacks had resumed after he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “Now intelligence is working. Thank you very much,” he said.

He said restrictions remained on Starlink and Starshield capabilities used by Ukraine, but that Rubio had told him his team would work on the issue. Rubio has separately stressed that Starlink and Starshield are different systems, with Starlink operated commercially by SpaceX and Starshield governed through U.S. military arrangements.

Russia has resisted ceasefire proposals that would simply freeze the existing front, while demanding Ukrainian concessions that include territory Moscow claims but does not fully control.