Zelensky Rejects Putin’s Donbas Ceasefire Demand Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reported proposal that Ukraine withdraw from the remaining 30% of Donetsk it controls—around 9,000 square kilometers—as part of a ceasefire deal. Zelensky called the idea unconstitutional, warning it would serve as a launchpad for future Russian offensives.

He said the proposal was relayed by U.S. officials, including special envoy Steve Witkoff, ahead of Friday’s planned Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Zelensky stressed that neither security guarantees for Ukraine nor Europe’s participation—both key Kyiv demands—are part of current diplomatic formats.

“Donbas for the Russians is a springboard for a new offensive. We will not leave,” he said, recalling Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.

The U.S. has suggested bilateral talks with Russia followed by a trilateral session including Ukraine. Trump has said Ukraine may need to cede some Russian-held territory and hinted at possible land swaps, alarming Kyiv and European allies. EU leaders have been excluded from the summit and urged Trump to ensure their interests are considered, warning that international borders cannot be changed by force.

Russia currently occupies parts of four Ukrainian regions and is pressing its advance toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk. Military analysts say the next 24–48 hours could be decisive, with the city’s loss threatening Ukrainian supply lines. On Monday, Ukraine’s military reported heavy fighting in Donetsk and a Russian missile strike on a training facility that killed one soldier and wounded 11.

The Alaska summit comes as Europe fears Putin could secure concessions that fracture Western unity. Nigel Gould-Davies of the International Institute for Strategic Studies called the moment “profoundly alarming,” warning that U.S. recognition of Russian sovereignty over occupied areas could split the transatlantic alliance.

Hungary’s Viktor Orbán was the only EU leader to refuse endorsement of a joint statement backing Ukraine.