Klitschko: Referendum in Ukraine could decide on peace treaty with Russia
In the struggle for a solution to the Ukraine conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to Kiev's mayor Vitali Klitschko, may have to resort to a referendum, as he doesn't believe the president can make painful and important agreements without the people's legitimacy, Klitschko told the Italian daily "Corriere della Sera" (Sunday).
The debates about possible scenarios for a peace deal with Russia present the president with significant challenges, according to Klitschko's assessment. The coming months will be difficult for Zelenskyy, he said. "Will he continue the war with new deaths and destruction or consider a territorial compromise with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin?", Klitschko wondered. "Whichever way he decides, our president risks political suicide."
Both scenarios could put Zelenskyy in an explanatory predicament. In particular, potential territorial concessions that call for the surrender of parts of our territory to end the war could be difficult for the Ukrainians to accept. "How can he explain to the country and the people that it's necessary to give up parts of our territory that thousands of our fighting heroes have given their lives for?", Klitschko added.
The formation of a coalition of national unity, as in Israel after the Hamas massacre on October 7, could be an option for Ukraine to ensure stability and greater restraint, Klitschko continued. However, he was not sure if President Zelenskyy was ready to relinquish the centralized power in his hands, which has granted him the war powers since the first day of the Russian invasion.
Klitschko and Zelenskyy are considered political rivals, with rumors of Klitschko's ambitions for the presidency. Asked about their relationship, Klitschko now said: "To be clear, I have always had good relationships with him, he is the one who has been bad to me." Klitschko also emphasized that he considers the elections at the current time during Zelenskyy's tenure, which ends in May, to be premature.
The peace treaty negotiations with Russia require Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to consider various scenarios, including a referendum, as suggested by Kiev's mayor Vitali Klitschko. If Zelenskyy chooses a territorial compromise with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he might face difficulty explaining the necessity of surrendering territories to the Ukrainian people, based on Klitschko's concerns.
