Zelenskyy says Putin wants the rest of Ukraine's Donetsk region as part of a ceasefire

Zelenskyy says Putin wants the rest of Ukraine’s Donetsk region as part of a ceasefire World Aug 12, 2025 3:33 PM EDT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of the Donetsk region that it controls as part of a ceasefire deal, a proposal the leader categorically rejected.

Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would not withdraw from territories it controls, saying that would be unconstitutional and would serve only as a springboard for a future Russian invasion.

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He said diplomatic discussions led by the U.S. focusing on ending the war have not touched on security guarantees for Ukraine to