Ukraine open to discussing Donetsk demilitarised zone, adviser says
A Ukrainian presidential adviser said Kyiv could discuss a demilitarised buffer zone around the front line in Donetsk region as a compromise in peace talks.
Ukraine is prepared to discuss creating a demilitarised zone along parts of the front line in Donetsk region as part of a possible compromise to end the war, presidential adviser Serhiy Leshchenko said, according to Ukrainian broadcaster UNIAN.
Leshchenko said Kyiv was not proposing to demilitarise the whole of Donetsk region, only areas on both sides of the current line of contact. He said Ukraine had prepared the idea as one of several proposals it could put forward.
He said Kyiv wants decisions on Ukrainian territory to be made by national leaders, not technical negotiating teams, and that Ukraine also favours an early start to talks and a sectoral ceasefire covering energy infrastructure and the Black Sea.
Separately, Donetsk regional authorities said 1,746 children remain in 15 settlements across four communities where a of families with children has been ordered, according to the region's children's services chief, Yuliia Ryzhakova, cited by Ukrinform. She said 452 children were evacuated from the region in the past week.
Follow this story
An email when there is a real update (a new toll, a cause, an arrest). Nothing else; stop with one click.
Free: one story at a time. Members follow as many stories as they like.
What we know
- A Ukrainian presidential adviser said Kyiv is ready to discuss a demilitarised zone around the contact line in parts of Donetsk region, not the whole region, according to UNIAN.
- Ukraine says such a zone would be one of several compromise proposals, and that territorial decisions must involve Ukraine's leadership, not technical negotiators.
- Kyiv is also pushing for an early start to talks and a sectoral ceasefire covering energy and the Black Sea, the adviser said.
- Regional officials say 1,746 children remain in 15 Donetsk-region settlements under a mandatory evacuation order; 452 were evacuated in the past week.
Why it matters for Europe
A demilitarised zone around the contact line in Donetsk would be among the most consequential compromises discussed in the war, since Russia has pressed for a full Ukrainian withdrawal from the region. The continuing evacuation of children from front-line towns shows how dangerous the area remains even as diplomats explore ways to pause the fighting.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
Source balance
PremiumSee how the 3 outlets behind this story spread from left to right, and which are official or OSINT sources.
Free during the launch: create an account →Log inHow we rate sources
Intelligence file
PremiumSee how we verified this story
Confidence and impact scores, the full situation report and the event timeline.
Launch offer: free for members until 31 October 2026
Questions and answers
- What is Ukraine proposing for Donetsk?
- A demilitarised zone around parts of the front line, not the whole region, presidential adviser Serhiy Leshchenko said.
- Who would decide on Ukrainian territory?
- Ukraine's leadership, not technical negotiating teams, according to the adviser.
- How many children remain in the evacuation zone?
- 1,746 children in 1,580 families across 15 settlements, regional officials said.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.