Ukrainian president does not exclude referendum on Crimea and Donbass

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks by phone with U.S. President Joe Biden in Kyiv, Ukraine December 9, 2021. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday said he did not exclude holding a referendum on the future status of war-torn eastern Ukraine and the Crimea peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

Zelenskiy did not give detail on how and when a referendum could be held, but said it was one of the options to revive a stalled peace process in eastern Ukraine and end a standoff with neighbouring Russia.