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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of the Donetsk region it controls as part of a ceasefire deal, a proposal the Ukrainian leader categorically rejected as unconstitutional and a potential springboard for a future Russian invasion.
Speaking at a press briefing in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said the demand, which covers about 9,000 square kilometers (3,500 square miles) of territory, would hand Russia nearly all of the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland Moscow has sought to control for years.
Zelenskyy disclosed Russia's position during a press briefing in Kyiv, saying Putin wants the remaining 9,000 square kilometers (3,500 square miles) of Donetsk under Ukrainian control, where the war's toughest battles are currently grinding on.
The Ukrainian president learned of Russia's stance after holding a call with U.S. President Donald Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff, following 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.
"And that, probably, Putin wants us to leave Donbas. That is, it didn't sound like America wants us to leave," Zelenskyy said, recounting the call, which also included some European partners.
Withdrawing from the region would hand Russia almost the entirety of the Donbas, comprising Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland that Putin has long coveted.
Zelenskyy reiterated that withdrawing from Ukraine-controlled territory was out of the question, especially as security guarantees for Ukraine were not being discussed.
"We will not leave Donbas. We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the first part - our territories are illegally occupied," Zelenskyy told reporters. "Donbas for the Russians is a springboard for a future new offensive."
The Ukrainian president noted this pattern occurred in 2014 when Russia illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula.
He emphasized that 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.
Ahead of a Friday summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska, uncertainty remains about Ukraine's participation. European Union leaders have also been sidelined from the meeting and appealed to Trump on Tuesday to protect their interests.
Referring to the format for ceasefire talks, Zelenskyy said the U.S. proposed a bilateral meeting between the U.S. and Russia, followed by a trilateral meeting that would include Ukraine. Zelenskyy stressed that Europe's presence was important for Kyiv because these were the only partners offering security guarantees, including funding the Ukrainian army.
European leaders said Tuesday they "welcome the efforts of President Trump towards ending Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine." However, they underlined that "the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine" and "international borders must not be changed by force."
The Europeans will make a fresh attempt Wednesday to rally Trump to Ukraine's cause at virtual meetings convened by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump did not confirm whether he would take part but said "I'm going to get everybody's ideas" before meeting with Putin.
Meanwhile, Russian forces on the ground have been closing in on a key territorial grab around the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.
Military analysts using open-source information to monitor the battles said the next 24-48 hours could be critical. Losing Pokrovsk would hand Russia an important victory ahead of the summit and complicate Ukrainian supply lines to the Donetsk region, where the Kremlin has focused the bulk of military efforts.
"A lot will depend on availability, quantity and quality of Ukrainian reserves," Pasi Paroinen, an analyst with the Finland-based Black Bird Group, wrote on social media late Monday.
Ukraine's military said its forces are fending off Russian infantry units trying to infiltrate their defensive positions in the Donetsk region. The region's Ukrainian military command acknowledged on social media Monday that the situation remains "difficult, unpleasant and dynamic."
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