Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that Ukrainian forces will not leave Donbas. He said the government will not abandon the 200,000 citizens living there, as Russia demands. Zelenskyy emphasized that the region has Ukraine’s strongest defensive lines, and pulling troops back would give Russia a clear path to the country’s center.
He made the remarks in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
Details
Zelenskyy highlighted that negotiations between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia stalled over a 20-point plan and control of territories.
“We have security guarantees from the Americans, but they want to sign them only within a deal with Russia. I disagree with this point, but that’s the situation. We also have a prepared protocol with the Europeans, but it remains unsigned. We have agreements on reconstruction, but we can start only after peace. All of this is not enough… Americans think about territorial swaps, Russians want us to withdraw troops. Swaps don’t serve our interests,” Zelenskyy said.
He clarified that the discussion concerns 5,800 square kilometers of Donbas. He warned that Russia would need massive resources to control the region if Ukrainian troops left.
“I chose the diplomatic path and accepted the U.S. proposal to freeze the frontline. Many disagreed with this compromise, but I followed President Donald Trump’s guidance to at least stop the fighting. Russia refused and wants a full withdrawal of our troops from Donbas. Then the Americans proposed demilitarized zones and free economic zones on both sides of the front. I said this should apply to both sides, but Russia insisted it should only apply to us. That is pure madness,” he added.
On the possibility of pulling Ukrainian forces back under the presence of foreign contingents, Zelenskyy said:
“Russia does not want foreign troops in Ukraine. I believe Europe should take a firmer stance on this… But I want to make it very clear: I will never leave Donbas or the 200,000 Ukrainians living there. Why should I? Because Putin imposes it as a condition for peace? And will he immediately present new demands? No, I will not tolerate that. Moreover, our strongest defensive positions are here… If we withdraw, Russia will have free rein toward the country’s center.”
Zelenskyy also drew a parallel to the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan:
“I don’t want to draw direct parallels, but remember the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. What happens if, in ten years, not Trump but another U.S. president decides to pull troops from Ukraine? We need a strong Ukrainian defensive line.”
Context
Zelenskyy previously stressed that Ukraine’s territorial integrity in Donbas remains a key issue in negotiations, and compromise on this matter is currently impossible.
The latest round of trilateral talks between Kyiv, Washington, and Moscow took place on February 26 in Geneva. Officials discussed economic blocks and long-term support mechanisms for Ukraine.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that President Donald Trump expressed his goal to end the war within one month during a phone call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
