Ukrainian president rejects calls for territorial concessions in Donbas, cautioning that Russian control could pave the way for future invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin could use any land gained through a potential Trump-brokered ceasefire as a launchpad for a future war. The warning follows reports that Moscow is demanding Ukrainian forces withdraw from the remaining 30 percent of Donetsk—about 3,500 square miles—still under Kyiv’s control.
Speaking to reporters, Zelensky vowed that Ukraine would “never leave” the contested Donbas region, which has been the epicentre of some of the fiercest fighting in the three-and-a-half-year conflict. “We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the first part—our territories are illegally occupied. Donbas for the Russians is a springboard for a future new offensive,” he said.
Zelensky said he learned of Russia’s position during a call with former US President Donald Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff, following Witkoff’s bilateral meeting with Putin. According to Zelensky, Witkoff conveyed that Russia was ready to end the war but expected “territorial concessions from both sides” as part of any peace deal.
Trump is scheduled to meet Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, describing it as a “feel out” session to gauge whether a negotiated settlement is possible. The prospect of ceding Ukrainian territory, however, has been firmly rejected in Kyiv, where officials fear that any such agreement would merely freeze the conflict temporarily—before Russia reignites it from a strengthened position.