Kanyshai Butun
03 March 2026•Update: 03 March 2026
ISTANBUL
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said he "will never leave Donbass," and that US-mediated peace talks with Russia are “stuck” on the territorial issue.
In an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera, he said Washington has proposed a possible territory swap, while Russia has demanded a full Ukrainian withdrawal from the territories.
"The swap isn't in our interest, and Moscow needs a lot of forces to control the areas we would be leaving: they know we'd like to take back what they took from us. Why on earth should we trade our territory for something else that's part of our homeland?" he said.
He said the negotiation process concerns exclusively Donbass, an area of approximately 5,800 square kilometers.
Zelenskyy said he accepted US President Donald Trump's proposal to freeze the Donbass front line, despite his disagreement with this “compromise” to end the fighting.
"The Russians, however, refused and want our complete withdrawal from Donbass. The Americans then proposed demilitarized zones and free economic zones on both sides of the front. I said it should apply to both sides, but the Russians replied that it should only be on our side. It's pure madness," he added.
The Ukrainian leader argued that a withdrawal from the territory would open the way for further Russian advances toward central Ukraine.
"But I want to be clear: I will never leave Donbass and the 200,000 Ukrainians who live there. Why on earth should I do that?" he said.
Elections in Ukraine
In remarks on the possible election in Ukraine, Zelenskyy, whose presidential term ended in May 2024, stressed that he is not sure whether he would run.
He underlined that the elections would take place only after the war ends, not during a temporary ceasefire.
"The real question is: when can we have elections? They will certainly be after the war ends, not during a temporary ceasefire. And I'm not at all sure I'll run; I'll see what the Ukrainians want," he said.
