OTTAWA – Europe is watching for a possible breakthrough in U.S.-led talks for a ceasefire in Ukraine, as Canada has repeatedly said it’s up to Ukrainians to decide how the war ends.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told reporters he would be willing to withdraw troops from the country’s eastern industrial heartland as part of a plan to end Russia’s invasion, if Moscow also pulls back.
The proposal would involve creating a demilitarized, free economic zone monitored by international forces, as peace talks have focused intensely on control of the region.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand’s office did not have an immediate comment on the proposal, but she has repeatedly said that democracies like Ukraine must be the ones deciding what their own interests are for territorial integrity and sovereignty.
At a talk earlier this month held by the Canadian Club in Toronto, Anand said Ottawa will not tell Zelenskyy what geographical boundaries he should adopt, adding that whatever Canada would see as the best boundaries is “not relevant.”
She similarly said the question of NATO membership for Ukraine is up to the military alliance to decide and “not a negotiated point as to a potential ceasefire.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 24, 2025.
— With files from The Associated Press
