'We will never leave Donbas': Zelenskyy rejects Russia's demand for full withdrawal

Zelenskyy refuses to cede Donbas region

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly rejected a Russian proposal to surrender additional Ukrainian territory in return for a ceasefire, cautioning that such concessions would only enable Moscow to regroup for future aggression.

In a statement made ahead of the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, Zelenskyy revealed that Russia has insisted on a full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk region as part of the ceasefire terms.

"And that, probably, Putin wants us to leave Donbas. That is, it didn’t sound like America wants us to leave," Zelenskyy said, as reported by Associated Press. "We will not leave Donbas. We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the first part - our territories are illegally occupied."

At a press briefing in Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Vladimir Putin is demanding Ukraine retreat from the remaining 9,000 square kilometers of Donetsk still held by Kyiv, a message he said was conveyed through US officials ahead of Friday’s scheduled summit between Donald Trump and the Russian president.

He emphasized that conceding to such conditions would “merely lay the groundwork for another war.”

Zelenskyy added that he does not believe Trump endorses Russia’s demands and expressed hope the U.S. president would serve as a fair mediator during the Alaska talks.

He also noted there is no indication that Russia intends to observe a ceasefire, citing reports of small sabotage groups breaching Ukrainian lines in eastern Donbas and advancing approximately six miles over three days.