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Zelensky says he would not withdraw troops from Donbass

According to him, Donbass is supposedly a "springboard for a future new offensive," which may also target the Dnepropetrovsk Region and Kharkov

MOSCOW, August 12. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky has said that Ukraine cannot withdraw its troops from Donbass, as it fears a "future offensive" from there.

"We will not leave Donbass. We cannot do this," UNIAN news agency quoted him as saying. According to Zelensky, Donbass is supposedly a "springboard for a future new offensive," which may also target the Dnepropetrovsk Region and Kharkov.

Commenting on the chances of a settlement of the conflict through negotiations, he suggested that this would require three meetings at the leadership level: two bilateral, and one trilateral.

Earlier, Western media said the United States demanded territorial concessions from Ukraine to resolve the conflict with Russia. The Wall Street Journal citing sources said that the US settlement proposal provides for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Kiev-controlled part of the Donetsk People’s Republic as the first stage to achieve peace.

On August 8, US President Donald Trump said that the United States was studying the issue of territories "for which fighting has been going on for three and a half years" and was counting on "some kind of exchange." On August 9, Zelensky said that the answer to the territorial issues is already in the constitution of Ukraine and "no one will deviate from this.".