Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, once again reaffirmed Kyiv’s firm stance on the country’s eastern territories, stating that Ukraine will never abandon Donbas — even under pressure during peace negotiations or in exchange for security guarantees from its allies.

Zelenskyy emphasized that withdrawing Ukrainian troops from Donbas would open the way for Russian forces to advance toward the center of the country and would jeopardize the nation’s overall defense. He noted that some of Ukraine’s strongest defensive positions are currently concentrated in the region, where they continue to hold the front line.

“I want to make it clear: I will never abandon Donbas or the 200 000 Ukrainian citizens who live there”, Zelenskyy said.

He added that Moscow’s demands for territorial concessions as a condition for ending the war are unacceptable and fail to take Ukraine’s interests into account. The president also commented on proposals from the United States regarding a possible territorial exchange as part of a peace plan, stressing that such ideas do not align with Ukraine’s strategic and defense interests.

According to Zelenskyy, trilateral talks between representatives of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia may take place on March 5–6. Kyiv, he said, continues to seek ways to end the war through diplomatic means while preserving the country’s territorial integrity.

 

Reactions in Europe and among international experts have been divided: some are calling for an acceleration of the negotiation process, warning of the risks of prolonged stalemate, while others emphasize that without a clear position on territorial issues, reaching a peace agreement will be difficult.

#UKRAINE

04.03.2026 09:37