Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central Kiev yesterday to protest broader autonomy for separatist territories, part of a plan to end a war with Russian-backed fighters.

Protesters chanted “No to surrender!”, with some holding placards critical of President Volodymyr Zelensky in the crowd, which police said had swelled to around 10,000 people.

The country’s 41-year-old president is gearing up to hold his first summit with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin in an effort to revive a stalled peace process to end the five year separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

This week Ukrainian, Russian and separatist negotiators agreed on a roadmap that envisages special status for separatist territories if they conduct free and fair elections under the Ukrainian constitution.