Ukrainian President Rejects Putin’s Demand to Transfer Entire Donetsk Oblast Under Russian Control: Reuters
Volodymyr Zelensky categorically refused to agree to Putin’s demand to transfer the entire Donetsk region under Russian control in exchange for a freeze on hostilities in other regions. This is reported by the Reuters agency reported with reference to own sources who were aware of the course of closed negotiations.
According to sources, the Donetsk region issue arose during Zelenskyi’s joint consultations with US President Donald Trump and a number of European leaders. As noted, Trump informed the Ukrainian president that Putin proposed to freeze most areas of the front on the condition that Kyiv relinquishes control over the entire Donetsk region. That is, in fact, Russia demanded the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops and the transfer of the region under its control in exchange for a promise to stop active hostilities.
Sources of the agency claim that Zelensky unequivocally rejected this proposal. He made it clear that the concession of Donbas would not mean peace, but a new wave of threats from Russia. The President of Ukraine emphasized that such a step would in fact open the way for Moscow to a new escalation and would create a springboard for further offensive actions against Ukraine.
Speaking before the start of the Trump-Putin meeting this week, Zelensky once again publicly signaled the impossibility of meeting such demands. He repeated the position that the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donetsk region as a condition for a ceasefire is absolutely unacceptable.
“We will not withdraw from Donbas. We cannot do that. For the Russians, Donbas is a springboard for a future new offensive.” – said Zelenskyy, confirming the unchanging nature of his position.
Thus, Moscow’s attempt to tie the freezing of the front to territorial concessions was rejected by Kyiv. The Ukrainian authorities have made it clear to allies and opponents that the strategically important region will remain under Ukrainian control, and any agreements involving its surrender cannot be the subject of negotiations.
