On December 8, a huge crowd gathered in Independence Square, in Kyiv downtown, for an action of protest ahead of the Normandy Four meeting in Paris which will be the first in the past few years. Dubbed “Red lines for Zelenskyy”, the rally was organized by the parties “European Solidarity”, “The Voice” and “Fatherland”.

The organizers of the protest action said that the purpose of the popular assembly was to demonstrate the leadership that Ukrainian people would allow no changes in the country’s course. Protesters put forward a series of demands: no compromise is admissible on the unitary government system, the European and Euro-Atlantic course, as well as the return of the annexed Crimea.

There were also demands that the President of Ukraine would make no political decisions concerning such an important issue as the holding of local elections in Donbas until Russian troops are withdrawn from the occupied regions, illegal military formations are disarmed, and control over the State border is restored. Demonstrators also demanded to continue lawsuits against Russia at international courts.

In the evening of the same day, the action called “Watch in Bankova” began in front of the Office of the President in Bankova Street. Activists pitched several tents and mounted a makeshift stage. They demanded of Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to surrender national interests during the Normandy Four summit in Paris on December 9.

Speakers of the “Watch” called on the President not to conclude any agreements that may be detrimental to the country’s interests during the summit meeting with the leaders of Germany, France and the Russian Federation. And should Zelenskyy “accept conditions of Putin” at the talks, activists of the action threatened to turn the “Watch” into an indefinite vigil.

In the meantime, Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko has stressed that “our main red line from which we won’t step one millimeter back is the internationally recognized State border of Ukraine”.

In his words, the position of President Zelenskyy will remain unchanged no matter who he will talk with at the Normandy Four summit.

The minister said, “The complete and permanent ceasefire, our control over the border of a single and undivided country, the disarmament and withdrawal of illegal military formations, local elections according to our legislation here are the essential elements of our position for tomorrow talks wherever they will be held either at a general negotiating table or in private”.

Of special interest is a statement by Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the President of the Russian Federation, who said that President Putin and President Zelenskyy would meet after the summit in Paris. According to the Russian official, there will be no time limit for their talks. However, the program of the Paris visit of the Ukrainian President officially published by his Office did not mention his meeting with Vladimir Putin.

The newspaper Holos Ukrainy