Zelensky: We Cannot Yield to Russia's Demands and Retreat, Russians Lie and Play Their Games with Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has once again stated that yielding to the demands of the Russian Federation for territorial concessions is not an option in the ongoing trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia aimed at ending the war. He expressed his belief that Russia is preparing for further complete occupation of all Ukrainian territory, and as such, the Ukrainian side cannot afford to make compromises.

In an interview with the Associated Press, excerpts of which were published on his official Telegram channel on Sunday, Zelensky pointed out that the problem with Russia lies in their behavior, which does not allow for genuine compromises. “The problem with the Russians is that they love to talk about compromises, but they never actually make them. They speak only in ultimatums. They want us to retreat from our territory that we control,” he emphasized.

Zelensky further explained that Russia's demands for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops are driven by their significant losses on the front lines. According to him, the Russian side believes that if Ukraine agrees to retreat, it would allow them to avoid further losses of hundreds of thousands of people. “This is true, but we cannot retreat,” the Ukrainian president stressed.

He warned that such a retreat would create enormous risks for Ukraine. “Russia would strengthen its positions in Ukraine and begin preparing for further occupation,” Zelensky noted, emphasizing that the Ukrainian side must take all necessary measures to stop Russia's aggression. “They lie and play their games with President Trump. I am one hundred percent convinced that the Russians want to completely occupy us,” he added.

Zelensky also called for the urgent need to achieve a ceasefire, establish reliable security guarantees for Ukraine, and then move towards diplomatic negotiations. “That is why we need to stop them, achieve a ceasefire, establish reliable security guarantees, and then move all of this into diplomacy,” the president of Ukraine concluded.