Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that conceding Donbas will not stop Russia’s aggression. In his opinion, if control over this region is achieved, the Kremlin will continue its attempts to capture Dnipro and Kharkiv. This was mentioned by the head of state during his participation in the podcast The Rest Is Politics.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Zelensky on the Position of the USA and Putin’s Plans
Zelensky emphasized that he understands the true goals and psychology of the Russian leadership, particularly Vladimir Putin, better than the US administration. He pointed out that some Americans consider Donbas insignificant for Ukraine, which he believes is a mistake.
“We must acknowledge that partly Americans feel that (Donbas – ed.) is nothing for us,” he said.
The President noted that the White House does not want to acknowledge the possibility of lies from Putin, as well as the fact that the Russian leader may continue the occupation even after potential concessions.
Cooperation Between Moscow and Tehran and the US Reaction
Volodymyr Zelensky also drew attention to the close cooperation between Russia and Iran. According to him, the Kremlin has provided Tehran with satellite images of energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf countries and Israel. The President expressed regret that the US, in his opinion, relies on Putin’s promises instead of responding to the facts of such cooperation.
Separately, Zelensky commented on the recent visit of US Vice President JD Vance to Budapest, calling it “unhelpful” due to the support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. At the same time, the head of state emphasized that he does not intend to interfere in the electoral process in Hungary.
Responding to a question about Donald Trump’s team’s position on Russia, Zelensky noted that American politicians Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner spent considerable time communicating with Putin and his entourage, which may have influenced their assessment of the situation.
Recently, JD Vance announced “significant progress” in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia regarding the end of the war, stating that the parties have allegedly narrowed their positions. According to Vance, the negotiations are ongoing around “a few square kilometers of territory,” and their outcome will affect both the duration of the war and the situation with energy and the economy.
Due to the escalation of the situation in the Middle East, trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia, which took place in January-February, are currently postponed. At the same time, Zelensky emphasized that he does not consider these negotiations unproductive or at a dead end.