President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine cannot agree to withdraw from the government-controlled part of the Donbas, as this would have serious internal and security consequences.
He said this in an interview with the BBC.
During the conversation, the journalist noted that, according to Zelenskyy himself, the United States and russia allegedly insist that Ukraine leave about 20% of the Donbas territory currently controlled by Kyiv, considering this a prerequisite for ending hostilities.
Answering the question whether such a step is not "reasonable," the head of state explained his position.
"I see this differently. I don't look at it simply as land. I see it as abandonment - weakening our positions, abandoning hundreds of thousands of our people who live there. That is how I see it. And I am sure that this 'withdrawal' would divide our society," the President said.
The journalist also asked whether such a decision could satisfy the kremlin head vladimir putin. Zelenskyy emphasized that even in the event of a temporary pause, this does not guarantee a lasting peace.
"It would probably satisfy him for a while... he needs a pause... but once he recovers, our European partners say it could take three to five years. In my opinion, he could recover in no more than a couple of years. Where would he go next? We do not know, but that he would want to continue [the war] is a fact," the Ukrainian leader said.
The President also emphasized that the key issue now is to create effective deterrence mechanisms that will not allow russia to start large-scale hostilities again.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, President Zelenskyy accused russia of delaying the negotiation process, which could have already reached the final stage.
He also criticized US President Donald Trump for openly calling on Ukraine to make concessions in the negotiation process with russia.
And in an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, the President said that the final decision on the territories can only be made by the people of Ukraine.
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