President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine does not consider the possibility of a unilateral withdrawal of its troops from Donbas or the abandonment of occupied territories. He made the remarks in an interview with Fox News while commenting on one of the most contentious issues in negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
The head of state emphasized that the issue of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions does not depend on the political will of individual leaders or decisions of parliament. According to him, abandoning these territories would contradict Ukrainian legislation and the fundamental principles of protecting the country’s citizens.
Zelenskyy stressed that around 300,000 people live in these areas and that Ukrainian troops are stationed there. Ukraine has paid an extremely high price for their defense, with hundreds of thousands wounded and tens of thousands killed. For this reason, the president said, an unconditional withdrawal of the Defense Forces is unacceptable.
At the same time, he outlined a possible compromise format that Ukraine is prepared to discuss. This includes the idea of establishing a free economic zone with special conditions and a mirrored withdrawal of troops by several kilometers on both sides. However, even such a scenario, he noted, would be possible only with the consent of Ukrainian society.
Zelenskyy underscored that any decision on a potential compromise must be made exclusively through a nationwide referendum, which would ensure its legitimacy. According to him, Ukrainians seek peace but are not ready to support steps that run counter to national interests, state security, and the will of the people.
The president also pointed out that Russia’s demands for the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas as a condition for ending hostilities cannot be fulfilled without taking into account the real situation on the ground and the position of Ukrainian citizens.
