During a conversation with journalists, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine will not leave Donbas.
“We will not leave Donbas. We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the first part — our territories are illegally occupied,” Zelensky said, noting that Donbas for the Russians is a “foothold for a future new offensive” and could lead to a “third war.”
Zelensky compared the situation with Crimea, which was a foothold for the offensive in southern Ukraine. “After the full-scale invasion, if today we leave Donbas, from our fortifications, from our terrains, from the heights we control, we will clearly open a foothold for the preparation of a Russian offensive. A few years — and Putin will have an open path to Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. And not only that. Also to Kharkiv. And therefore, in my opinion, any issue of territories cannot be separated from security guarantees. Otherwise, they now want to give them approximately 9,000 square kilometers, which is about 30% of the Donetsk region, and this is a foothold for their new aggression,” Zelensky emphasized.
In addition, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that productive negotiations on Ukraine are possible only with the participation of Kyiv, and also added that he considers it very important for Europe to be present in one form or another at the meeting, because “so far, no one except Europe gives us security guarantees.”
In his opinion, Vladimir Putin in such a meeting format primarily seeks to “get a photo with Trump.”
Zelensky noted that despite declarations of a peace agreement, the Russian army is preparing for an offensive operation in three directions — Zaporizhzhia, Pokrovsk, and Novopavlovsk, noting that it is most likely planned for September. At the same time, he noted that in all directions during this month, the Russians will try to demonstrate some progress in order to politically pressure Ukraine, seeking certain concessions. And Ukraine fears that the US will join this pressure.
“I am not going to surrender my country because I do not have the right to do so. And the issue is not that I am hiding behind the Constitution. Is the state private property? Is 30% of the Donetsk region my private property? Or yours? Or someone else's? The exchange of territories is a very complex issue that cannot be separated from security guarantees for Ukraine, for our sovereign state and our people,” concluded the President of Ukraine.