President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's team is considering an option of putting the issue of reaching a peace agreement with Russia over the war in Donbas to a public referendum, the newly-appointed head of his administration, Andriy Bohdan, has said.
"Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared in his speeches that we are considering the issues of formalizing some agreements and submitting them to a referendum. After all, not only politicians but also the people should speak. We are considering putting the issue of reaching a peaceful agreement with Russia to a national referendum so that not only MPs could vote and the president make a decision, but [to allow] the people to make a decision and the society to give an assessment," Interfax-Ukraine quoted Bohdan as saying on 112 Ukrayina TV.
Speaking about the "red lines" for Zelenskyy's team in negotiations with the Russian Federation, Bogdan said: "There is a very good rule that diplomats have - not to mark your red lines when you go to negotiations. This practice has developed as a result of centuries of experience, not a momentary desire to get a rating."
“I, as a native of Lviv, is very patriotic and have been at the front a lot, and for me these are not empty words. But we are forced to look for a compromise. However, there is one thing, Zelenskyy said that we do not trade in our territories and our people,” Bohdan added.
In his inauguration speech, Zelenskyy said his priority task was to ensure a ceasefire in Donbas.