Putin wants the rest of Ukraine's Donetsk region as part of a ceasefire, Zelenskyy says
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Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would not withdraw from territories it controls, saying that would be unconstitutional and would serve only as a springboard for a future Russian invasion.
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He said diplomatic discussions led by the U.S. focusing on ending the war have not touched on security guarantees for Ukraine to prevent future Russian aggression and that meeting formats currently being discussed do not include Europe's participation, both key demands of Kyiv.
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Zelenskyy said the necessity of territorial concessions was conveyed to him by U.S. officials ahead of a summit Friday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and in further meetings at the level of national security officials.
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It remained unclear whether Ukraine would take part in the Friday summit. European Union leaders also have been sidelined from the meeting, and they appealed to Trump on Tuesday to protect their interests.
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Zelenskyy said Putin wants the remaining 9,000 square kilometres (3,500 square miles) of Donetsk under Kyiv's control, where the war's toughest battles are grinding on, as part of a ceasefire plan, in a press briefing on Tuesday in Kyiv.
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Doing so would hand Russia almost the entirety of the Donbas, a region comprising Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland that Putin has long coveted.
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Zelenskyy learned of Russia's position after holding a call with Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff, after the latter's bilateral meeting with Putin. Witkoff told Zelenskyy that Russia was ready to end the war and that there should be territorial concessions from both sides. Some European partners were also part of the call.
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Zelenskyy reiterated that withdrawing from Ukraine-controlled territory was out of the question, especially as the question of security guarantees for Ukraine, were not being discussed.
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'We will not leave Donbas. We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the first part – our territories are illegally occupied,' Zelenskyy told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday. 'Donbas for the Russians is a springboard for a future new offensive.'
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