Zelenskyy warns against territorial concessions in exchange for peace

Speaking to reporters in Munich on Jan. 14, Zelenskyy said Moscow is attempting to convince the United States that “if Ukraine independently withdraws its troops from Donbas, peace will come faster,” describing the move as Russia’s central demand.

“I think they have never pursued any goal other than the occupation of Ukraine. The minimum they want is Donbas, Donetsk Oblast — 100%,” Zelenskyy said. “They need to sell this as a victory to their own society, and maybe not even to society, but to themselves,” he added, referring to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine cannot abandon territories where thousands of its citizens live — even in exchange for other sovereign Ukrainian lands.

“It was a historic mistake that no one responded to Putin’s actions in 2014. Back then, his army entered without Russian uniforms. That means they were still afraid,” Zelenskyy said. “In 2022, they came in uniform, with missiles. If we give him the opportunity to feel this kind of victory, we don’t know what he will do next.”

The president also noted that even if American troops or another international contingent were stationed in a neutral zone, no one would be able to fully control the situation in territories currently outside Kyiv’s control.

On Feb. 12, The Atlantic, citing sources, reported that Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, and his team are exploring options to prevent Russia from seizing additional territory in Donetsk Oblast.

In an interview with Bloomberg published on Feb. 11, Zelenskyy said he had accepted a U.S. proposal to hold a new round of talks aimed at ending the war. A trilateral meeting is scheduled for Feb. 17–18 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Among the proposals under discussion is the creation of a free economic zone in Donbas as a potential buffer. The next round of talks, which may include bilateral meetings with Washington, could focus on economic issues. Zelenskyy said, however, that there has been no clear response from Russia so far.