Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Won’t Give Up Donbas Region to Russia

WATCH: Zelenskiy, along with the leaders of France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland and Finland, will hold a call with Trump and Vance ahead of the summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Stuart Livingstone-Wallace reports.Source: Bloomberg

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By Daryna Krasnolutska and Olesia Safronova

August 12, 2025 at 1:03 PM EDT

Updated on

August 13, 2025 at 3:22 AM EDT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he won’t cede the eastern region of Donbas to Russia and pushed for Kyiv to be included in talks as the US and Russian leaders prepare to meet on Friday.

Vladimir Putin is demanding that Ukraine give up the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that together form Donbas as a condition to unlock a ceasefire and enter negotiations over a longer-term peace accord.