Zelenskyy Rejects Concessions to Russia in Donbas, Cites Ukrainian Sacrifice

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated he is not prepared to support concessions to Russia regarding the Donbas region, emphasizing the significant sacrifices made by Ukrainians in defending the area. His comments came during an interview with Piers Morgan posted on YouTube.

“support such an idea. And I suppose that in any very difficult circumstances, I am not sure that our people will be ready. Because, as you said, thousands, tens of thousands of Ukrainians died in this direction, defending this part of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said, according to the interview.

Donbas as a Matter of Values and Independence

Zelenskyy framed the issue of Donbas not merely as a matter of morality, but as central to Ukrainian values and freedom. “These are not just empty words. This is very important for us. That’s why there was such a decisive response from the first day of this war,” he explained.

He further emphasized that defending these values means recognizing Donbas as integral to Ukraine’s independence. “Although defending these values, we must understand that Donbass is part of our independence, part of our values,” Zelenskyy stated.

Recent Negotiations and Ceasefire Efforts

These statements follow recent negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations. On February 18, 2026, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, announced the second day of Ukrainian-American-Russian negotiations in Geneva aimed at resolving the conflict. Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that an agreement was reached to monitor a ceasefire with U.S. Participation.

Although, Zelenskyy also noted that political discussions regarding potential compromises and a possible meeting of leaders were not sufficiently developed during the negotiations.