Zelenskyy adamant on Putin’s territory demands
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, The White House, Oct. 17, 2025 (Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
Ukraine’s position on the partially Russia-occupied Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts remains firm, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Oct. 19, reiterating that Moscow continues to demand a full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas.
"The Russian position has not changed. They want us to leave Donbas. Not completely from the east — specifically from Donbas, completely from Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts,” he told journalists, according to Interfax-Ukraine.
During his Oct. 17 meeting with President Donald Trump and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Zelenskyy explained Kyiv’s stance, emphasizing that Russian claims about “Russian people” in Donbas and their alleged unwillingness to remain part of Ukraine are misleading.
He criticized the Kremlin’s approach, pointing out that Russia treats its resources as the personal property of dictator Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy also highlighted the risks of recognizing Russian constitutional changes, noting that any concessions could set a precedent for further demands.
“If Putin introduces something else tomorrow, after the war ends, will we again have to leave some territory?” Zelenskyy said, calling such a model “non-working.”
The president stressed that, although Russia is a powerful aggressor, Kyiv will not be coerced.
“No one will sell Ukraine.”
The comments follow a Washington Post report that Putin had demanded from Trump Ukraine cede full control of Donetsk Oblast as a precondition to end the war. Trump later denied making such a demand during his meeting with Zelenskyy in the White House, advocating instead for freezing the frontlines.
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