Zelensky says Russia continues to demand all of Donbas, adding that Ukraine will not withdraw
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Russian negotiations position "has not changed yet," and that "they want our Donbas. And we do not want to give away our Donbas."
Zelensky's comments to journalists late on Dec. 15 came following yet another round of discussions with the American negotiators, who continue to insist on the Russia-leaning peace offer.
A delegation led by Zelensky held two rounds of discussions with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on a plan for ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
The new round of talks has been ongoing for the past three weeks, following the U.S. attempt to end the war by handing over Ukrainian territory to Russia.
According to Republican Senator Mike Rounds, the 28-point peace plan drawn up by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and his Russian counterpart, Kirill Dmitriev, was actually a Russian plan that the U.S. had agreed to pass along to Ukraine.
At the center of the proposal is a sweeping territorial concession: Ukraine would surrender the entire eastern Donbas region — both Russian-occupied areas and the parts still controlled by Ukrainian troops.
While Russia has occupied all but a few villages in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine continues to hold significant parts of Donetsk Oblast, including key cities Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
Under the plan, Ukrainian forces would withdraw from these remaining areas, which would then be designated a demilitarized zone. The territory would be internationally recognized as belonging to Russia, though Russian troops would be prohibited from entering the zone.
"The Americans want to find a compromise, they offer a 'free economic zone.' And I will emphasize once again: 'free economic zone' does not mean under the leadership of the Russian Federation," Zelensky said after the most recent round of talks.
"Neither de jure nor de facto will we recognize Donbas as Russian — the part that is temporarily occupied."
He added that there is no "consensus on this issue" with the Americans.
National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, who leads Ukraine's delegation, said on Dec. 15 that he had expected to reach a consensus with the U.S. on a common position to be later presented to Russia.
"Today or tomorrow, we will finalize the documents, our own. Then the United States, I think, in the coming days will hold consultations with the Russians, and after that they will hold consultations with the president of the United States, and after that our teams will meet," Zelensky said.
"I think our negotiating teams will meet in the U.S. in the near future, I think, maybe even over the weekend. And then, after, respectively, this meeting, we will see. We will think about a meeting at the level of leaders," he added.
"I think that America will put pressure with sanctions and give us more weapons if (Russia) rejects everything. I think this will be a fair request to the Americans."
