Zelensky says "we will not leave Donbass" and rules out land swap with Russia

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has ruled out any voluntary withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from territories still under Kyiv's control in Donbass, dismissing suggestions they could be part of a potential land swap with Russia, RT reported.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Zelensky said, "We will not leave Donbass. We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the main issue, our territories are illegally occupied," adding that ceding land in Donbass to Russia would only allow it to start a new war in a couple of years and push deeper into Ukraine, RT reported.

"Any issue of territories cannot be separated from security guarantees. Otherwise, now they want to gift them about 9,000 square kilometers; this is about 30% of the Donetsk region, and this is a springboard for their new aggression," he claimed, according to RT.


The remarks follow repeated comments by US President Donald Trump that a potential peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv would likely involve a land swap and territorial concessions from both sides. "They've [Russia] occupied some very prime territory. We're going to try and get some of that territory back for Ukraine," Trump said on Monday, as cited by RT.

The Lugansk (LPR) and Donetsk (DPR) People's Republics, along with the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, became part of Russia after referendums in 2022. While the LPR was fully taken by Russian forces earlier this year, Moscow's control over the other regions remains partial. Kyiv continues to claim all four territories, as well as Crimea, which joined Russia in 2014 following a referendum held shortly after the Western-backed Maidan coup in Kyiv, RT reported.

Zelensky has repeatedly rejected any territorial concessions to Russia, while Moscow insists any peace deal must involve Ukraine's withdrawal from the country's newly incorporated regions, according to RT.

The remarks highlight the continuing deadlock between Ukraine and Russia over territorial control.