BRUSSELS (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin insists Ukraine withdraw from the last 30% of the Donetsk region under Kyiv’s control as a condition for a ceasefire.
Zelenskyy said U.S. officials conveyed Russia’s demands ahead of a planned summit on Friday in Alaska between Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader firmly stated that Ukraine will not cede any territory it currently holds, calling such a move unconstitutional and a potential precursor to renewed Russian aggression.
It remains uncertain whether Ukraine will participate in the summit. The European Union, sidelined from the meeting, urged Trump on Tuesday to safeguard their interests.
At a briefing in Kyiv, Zelenskyy detailed that Putin wants control over the remaining 9,000 square kilometers (3,500 square miles) of Donetsk where intense fighting continues. Ceding this territory would grant Russia nearly all of the Donbas, Ukraine’s eastern industrial region long coveted by Moscow.
Zelenskyy shared insights from a recent call with Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff, who met with Putin bilaterally. Witkoff relayed that Russia is prepared to end the conflict but expects territorial concessions from both sides. European allies also joined the call.
“Putin likely wants us to abandon Donbas. That wasn’t the U.S. position,” Zelenskyy said, noting subsequent discussions with national security advisors clarified Russia’s stance.
Meanwhile, Russian troops are advancing near the strategic city of Pokrovsk, potentially to strengthen their hand in peace talks.
Trump has expressed interest in gauging Putin’s sincerity about ending the war, now entering its fourth year, but has disappointed European allies by suggesting Ukraine must relinquish some Russian-held lands. He also proposed land swaps, though details remain unclear. European nations and Ukraine fear Putin might extract favorable terms without their involvement, risking further aggression in the region.
European leaders welcomed Trump’s efforts to end Russia’s aggression but emphasized that peace cannot be brokered without Ukraine and that borders must not be altered by force. They plan renewed diplomatic efforts Wednesday to rally support for Ukraine ahead of the summit, led by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Russia maintains unstable control over four Ukrainian regions, two in the east and two in the south.
Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to Zelenskyy, warned that any ceasefire short of a strategic Russian defeat would legitimize Moscow’s actions, undermine international law, and send a dangerous global message.
Experts describe the upcoming Alaska summit as “profoundly alarming” for Europe. Analysts fear Putin could persuade Trump to recognize Russian sovereignty over occupied parts of Ukraine and possibly ease sanctions, fracturing the transatlantic alliance.
The conflict is not only territorial but also about Putin’s ambition to dominate Ukraine and threaten broader European stability.
Meanwhile, Russian forces near Pokrovsk are close to a critical breakthrough. Losing the city would mark a significant victory for Moscow and disrupt Ukrainian supply lines in Donetsk.
Ukraine’s military reports fierce fighting and difficult conditions but continues to resist Russian advances. Elsewhere, a Russian missile strike on a Ukrainian military training center killed one soldier and wounded 11, with cluster munitions hitting troops seeking shelter.
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