Zelenskyy: “We are not abandoning Donbas – Russia would use it as a springboard for new war”

Russian Pressure Amid Diplomatic Negotiations

Volodymyr Zelenskyy makes it clear that Ukraine will not accept a Russian ceasefire plan that requires giving up large parts of Donbas. According to the president, Moscow would use the conquered territories as a strategic springboard for future offensives against key cities such as Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv.

This statement comes just days before Trump and Putin are set to meet in Alaska – the first such summit with both in office since 2018. Zelenskyy fears that the United States may pressure Ukraine into accepting a compromise he describes as “dangerous for the country’s sovereignty.”

The Frontline Under Intense Pressure

The situation on the ground in Donbas has intensified. Ukrainian forces report that small Russian sabotage units have broken through the frontline, advancing six miles in just three days near Dobropillya, a central supply hub.

According to Kyiv, Russia has massed 110,000 soldiers in the area and is pushing forward regardless of heavy losses—about 1,000 men in a single day. Ukraine reported 340 casualties of its own that day, including 18 killed and 79 missing.

Diplomacy, Symbolism, and Propaganda

Although he will not attend the Alaska meeting, Zelenskyy hopes for a subsequent trilateral summit with Trump and Putin. He emphasizes that he regards Trump as a potential neutral mediator: “He’s in the middle—not on Russia’s side.”

Zelenskyy believes that Putin is not only seeking negotiation results but also symbolic victories. “He needs the image of himself with the American president,” he says, pointing out that such images can be used to reinforce the narrative of Russian advances.

Preparations for an Autumn Offensive

Ukrainian intelligence assesses that Russia is preparing a new offensive in the autumn, with 30,000 troops from the Sumy region to be shifted toward three fronts—Zaporizhzhia, Pokrovsk, and Novopavlivka.

Experts warn that Ukraine must remain vigilant and strengthen defenses along existing lines, rather than risk troops in costly counterattacks. Donbas, as Zelenskyy puts it, is “a key bulwark against future wars.”

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