Ukrainian President Voldimir Zelenki said on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes Kiev will withdraw from the remaining 30% of the Donetsk region, which it controls as part of the ceasefire deal.
Speaking at a press conference in Kiev, Zelensky said Putin wanted the remaining 9,000 square kilometers of Donetsk, under control of Kiev, where the toughest battles of the war are shattered, as part of a ceasefire plan.
He then repeatedly stated that he would not withdraw from Ukraine’s controlled territory, saying it was unconstitutional and would only serve as a springboard for future Russian invasions.
“We won’t leave Donbas. We can’t do this. Everyone has forgotten the first part. Our territory is illegally occupied,” Zelensky told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday. “The Donbass for the Russians is a stepping stone for new attacks in the future.”
According to Ukrainian leaders, this happened in 2014 when Russia illegally annexed the Crimea Peninsula.
As US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepare to meet in Alaska this Friday, there are excited comments about their refusal to concessions on the territorial concessions.
It is also because Russian troops on the ground are trapped in grabs of major territories around the city of Pokrovsk.
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy said that the US-led diplomatic debate focused on ending the war and did not touch on Ukraine’s security guarantees to prevent future Russian invasions, and that the format of the meeting currently being discussed does not include European participation, Kyiv’s important demands.
Zelenskyy said at a further meeting at the national security authority level ahead of the summit in Alaska on Friday, the need for territorial concessions was communicated by US authorities.
After a bilateral meeting with Putin, the call between Trump and special envoy Steve Witkov gave more details on this, he said.
Witkov reportedly told Zelensky that Russia was ready to end the war and that territorial concessions should be made from both sides. Some European partners were also part of the call.
Looking for a card ear before the summit
It was unclear whether Ukraine would take part in the Alaska Summit. European Union leaders have also been on the sidelines from the meeting, who appealed to Trump on Tuesday to protect their interests.
The US President disappointed European allies by saying that Ukraine must abandon Russian territory. He also said Russia must accept the exchange of land, but it was unclear what Putin would expect to surrender.
Europeans and Ukraine are wary that President Putin, who has been fighting the biggest land war in Europe since 1945, is wary that he may be wary of using Russian energy to intimidate the EU, secure favorable concessions and establish an outline of a peace deal without them.
This Wednesday, EU leaders are expected to make new attempts to rally Trump into the Ukrainian cause at a virtual meeting called by German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz. Trump didn’t confirm whether he would be involved, but said on Monday, “I’m going to get everyone’s ideas.”
Trump says he wants to see if Putin is serious about ending the war in his fourth year.
Referring to the format of the ceasefire meeting, Zelensky said on Tuesday that the US proposed a bilateral meeting between the US and Russia and a trilateral meeting that includes Ukraine. Zelensky said that Europe’s presence is important to Kiev as it is the only partner to provide security assurances, including funding for the Ukrainian military.
Russia is currently unstable in control of four Ukraine regions.