'Third war' fear: Zelenskyy warns of dire consequences if Russia conquers Donbas; tensions rise ahead of Alaska peace talks
Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
on Tuesday firmly rejected the idea of giving up eastern territory Donbas to Russia. He warned that abandoning the region would pave the way for Russian President
Vladimir Putin
to 'start a third war' in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy's warning comes ahead of Putin's meeting with US President
Donald Trump
in Alaska on Friday, where the Russian president is expected to demand Ukrainian land as part of a peace deal. He also warned that Russia is building up troops for a new offensive, which could be launched by September.
'For the Russians, Donbas is a springboard for a future new offensive. If we leave Donbas of our own accord or under pressure, we will start a third war,' Zelenskyy said in a meeting with journalists, recalling Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its full-scale invasion in 2022.
He stressed that Ukraine's defensive positions and strategic terrain in the region were vital to its security.
'I am not going to surrender my country because I have no right to do so,' he added. 'If we leave Donbas today, our fortifications, our terrain, the heights we control, we will clearly open a bridgehead for the preparation of a Russian offensive.'
The Ukrainian leader also voiced concern over reports that Putin may demand Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas as part of a ceasefire proposal.
'I haven't heard anything — not a single proposal that would guarantee that a new war won't start tomorrow and that Putin won't try to occupy at least Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv,' he said.
Zelensky said that any exchange of territories must be linked to security guarantees for Ukraine, its sovereignty and its people. He stressed that the
European Union
's role in peace talks is crucial. The Ukrainian president also confirmed that Ukraine, the US and European leaders will hold talks on Wednesday.
Trump has indicated Zelensky will not attend Friday's summit, but said he plans to brief Kyiv and European leaders after the meeting. Trump said his ultimate goal is to bring Putin and Zelensky together for direct talks, believing that only they could find a way to end the war, possibly through some form of 'land swapping.'
'I'm not going to make a deal,' Trump said. 'It's not up to me to make a deal. I think a deal should be made for both.'
The White House described the Anchorage meeting as a 'listening exercise' to better understand Russia's stance, noting that only one party to the conflict will be present.
'Only one party that's involved in this war is going to be present, and so this is for the president to go and to get, again, a more firm and better understanding of how we can hopefully bring this war to an end,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, as reported by CNN.
Zelensky also referred to recent diplomatic exchanges, including US special envoy Steve Witkoff's meeting with Putin. According to Zelensky, Witkoff conveyed that both sides might consider territorial concessions, though the Ukrainian president rejected the idea and said he does not believe Putin's demands reflect Washington's position.
'I do not believe that Putin's proposal is Trump's proposal. I believe that Trump represents the United States of America. He acts as a mediator, he is in the middle – not on Russia's side,' he said.
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