Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared at a press conference yesterday that he will not accept any Russian proposals that require Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
He warned that such a withdrawal would give Russian President Vladimir Putin and his military an opportunity to escalate attacks on Kyiv.
Zelensky underscored that any discussion of territorial concessions should be postponed until after a ceasefire is in place and Ukraine has secured credible security guarantees.
Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump stated at the White House that resolving the conflict in Ukraine would necessitate both Ukraine and Russia ceding parts of their territories.
President Putin and President Trump are scheduled to meet this Friday in Alaska.