Ukraine rejects Donbas concessions in ceasefire talks

Zelenskyy insists Ukraine will not withdraw from territories it controls as Western diplomacy seeks a path to peace.

Ukraine rejects Donbas concessions in ceasefire talks

Zelenskyy said Putin wants Ukraine to pull back from the remaining 9,000 square kilometers of Donetsk under Kyiv control as part of a ceasefire, a demand Kyiv calls unconstitutional and dangerous. He warned that ceding such land would hand Russia a springboard for a future offensive and vowed that Ukraine will not leave its territories.

He also noted that talks led by the United States on ending the war have not included security guarantees for Ukraine and that formats under discussion do not include Europe, a point Kyiv says is crucial for real guarantees. On the battlefield, Russian forces have closed in on Pokrovsk, raising the stakes for any deal and complicating supply lines to the Donetsk front.

The standoff highlights a broader pattern in Western diplomacy where Kyiv seeks concrete assurances before any pause in fighting. Washington and its allies are weighing terms that balance Russia's demands with Ukraine's insistence on territorial integrity. The absence of Europe in early formats could widen rifts if Kyiv feels its security needs are sidelined. At the same time, President Trump’s willingness to engage with Putin injects uncertainty into a process that already runs along tight timeframes ahead of broader Western elections and political pressures at home in several capitals.

Highlights

The next moves will test the strength of promises and the resilience of alliances.