Ukraine not to cross certain red lines in territory exchange with Russia - Zelenskyy
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Ukraine is not ready to cross a number of red lines regarding a potential territory exchange with Russia and believes that it could take the enemy another four years to fully capture the Donbas, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says during a meeting with journalists, reports an RBC-Ukraine correspondent.
Donetsk region
According to Zelenskyy, before discussing what Ukraine is willing to do, it is necessary to understand what Moscow is prepared for. For example, regarding the Donetsk region, he explained during a meeting with US President Donald Trump that since February 2022, Russia has not captured 69%, but roughly one-third of the territory.
“Currently, they (Russia - ed.) hold about 67–69% in total. That is, in almost four years of full-scale war, they have occupied one-third of the Donetsk region. So claims that they will occupy all of our Donbas by the end of the year are just talk. To occupy our Donbas, they would need another four years,” the Ukrainian President explained.
Zelenskyy also cited a personal family example: his grandfather fought against Nazi Germany for Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and Mariupol. Many families have similar stories, making this a deeply painful issue in Ukraine’s history and the lives of Ukrainians.
“It’s not as simple as some might think,” the Ukrainian President emphasized.
Other frontlines
Regarding the Sumy region, Zelenskyy is confident that the Russians will not capture it.
“And, frankly, they (Russians - ed.) won’t be able to hold the border areas where they are now. In today’s realities, it’s only a matter of time, just a few months, and they won’t be in the Sumy region,” the Ukrainian leader noted.
Zelenskyy also believes that, in the future, the Russians will not capture the Kharkiv region.
“And to talk about the Mykolaiv region, that they are ready to give us the Kinburn Spit… They only need it to block the sea against us,” the Ukrainian President added.
Zelenskyy once again stressed that Ukraine legally does not recognize the occupation of any temporarily occupied territories.
“That is my position,” the Ukrainian leader concluded.
Zelenskyy previously stated clearly that any discussion of a territory exchange would be addressed in a bilateral meeting with Vladimir Putin.
US President Donald Trump hinted that the war could end if Ukraine gave up Crimea and its NATO prospects. According to media insiders, Putin demands that Kyiv withdraw only from the Donetsk region in exchange for freezing the current frontline in other areas.
According to the WSJ, European leaders tried to explain to Trump why Ukraine cannot leave the Donetsk region. For example, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Moscow’s demand for the entire Donbas is equivalent to asking the US to give up Florida.
On Tuesday, the US President stated that, as a result of a potential peace deal, Ukraine will "get a lot of land.
