Ukraine will not withdraw from Donbas in exchange for ceasefire: Zelenskyy explains his position
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Office of the President of Ukraine)
The Armed Forces of Ukraine will not withdraw from Donbas in exchange for a ceasefire. The Constitution does not allow changes to the country's territorial integrity, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy states this at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
In particular, Zelenskyy emphasized that his position has not changed, as it is based on the Constitution of Ukraine. As long as the country’s main law remains unchanged, the president’s stance, as the guarantor of the Constitution, also remains unchanged.
"Today we discussed these issues as well, and of course, they are very complex. I want to emphasize right away that any matters concerning the territorial integrity of our state cannot be discussed against our country, our people, the will of the state, or the Constitution of Ukraine," Zelenskyy added.
According to media reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to US President Donald Trump to arrange a ceasefire in Ukraine. However, the Kremlin set a condition: Ukrainian forces would have to hand over all territories of Donbas under their control to Russia.
In response, Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian army will not withdraw from Donbas, as concessions to Russia without security guarantees would only lead to the rapid start of a third war.
Territorial issues
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed that Ukraine is ready to discuss territorial issues in potential peace negotiations with Russia. However, there are several conditions, the main one being that the occupied territories will not be legally recognized.
On August 13, the Russian regime repeated an ultimatum that the Kremlin has constantly tried to impose on Ukraine. Among other things, it called for the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions — territories that Russia has incorporated into its so-called "constitution."
Ukraine has repeatedly stated that it does not plan to hand over any territory to Russia or legally recognize it as Russian. These issues are not even up for discussion.
