Zelensky Gave A Tough Response To US 'peace' Proposals
- 24.02.2026, 8:11
Ukraine will defend every meter of its land.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky called the idea of ceding Donbass to Russia short-sighted.
The Financial Times reports.
So, commenting on speculation sounding in the United States about the possibility of ending the war in exchange for territorial concessions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that surrendering Donbass would not bring stable peace, but would only fuel Moscow's aggression.
"Russia is Russia": why concessions won't work
So, Zelensky expressed deep skepticism that Russia's territorial claims are limited only to eastern Ukraine. According to him, meeting the aggressor's demands on Donbass is a dangerous path that does not lead to the final war.
"Frankly speaking, I do not believe that this is all that Russia demands. Our withdrawal from Donbass - and that's the end of the war. Russia is Russia, and, you know, you can't trust it," the Ukrainian president said.
The remarks came in response to discussions in American politics, with some representatives suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin might agree to "peace" if occupied parts of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions are officially handed over to Moscow.
Protecting sovereignty as the only strategy
Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine remains unwavering in its territorial integrity. He considers concessions of territories not a strategic decision, but a fatal mistake that will only give the enemy time to prepare a new offensive.
The key theses of the statement:
trust in the Kremlin: any agreements with Russia without security guarantees are null and void;
territorial integrity: Ukraine will continue to defend every meter of its land;
negligence of concessions: giving up Donbass will not stop Putin's expansionist plans for the rest of the country.
The statement was made against the backdrop of increased diplomatic pressure and the search for ways to resolve the conflict.
Kiev believes that a just peace is possible only on the basis of international law and the restoration of the 1991 borders. And any "plans" involving trade in territories are perceived in Ukraine as capitulation, which postpones rather than stops a major catastrophe.