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Zelenskyy to Trump: Donetsk Must Not Fall, Crimea Shows the Cost
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![Photo of Maryna Kulakova]( "Photo of Maryna Kulakova")
In a recent discussion with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered a detailed analysis of the situation on the front lines, with a particular focus on the Donetsk region, a critical area for Ukraine’s defense.
Zelenskyy shared the details during a meeting with press on August 21, according to a UNITED24 Media correspondent.
Zelenskyy addressed inaccuracies in the battlefield map presented by Trump’s team, specifically regarding the occupation of the Donetsk region. The map indicated that 73% of Donetsk was under Russian control, but Zelenskyy clarified that the actual figure was closer to 67% or 69%. He emphasized the strategic significance of the region, explaining that the continued presence of Ukrainian forces in Donetsk was crucial to preventing further Russian advancement.
“I explained that if our troops withdraw from this territory and it becomes occupied, it would then open the path to Kharkiv. I showed him the roads to Dnipro, one of Ukraine’s industrial centers. I emphasized that there are many critical aspects here,” Zelenskyy told journalists.
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“If we’re talking about simply withdrawing from the East, we cannot do that. But this is not only a constitutional issue; it is a matter of our country’s survival, involving the strongest defensive lines and distances to industrial centers. If Putin gains this territory, he will try to advance further, regardless of whether he signs anything or not.”
“I explained at our meeting that since the beginning of the full-scale war, Russia has occupied not 69%, but about a third, because the Russian Federation had occupied the entire Crimea and a third of the Donetsk region prior to the full-scale war,” the President reiterated.
“After the start of the full-scale war, they occupied roughly another third. Currently, they hold about 67-69% in total. That is, we are saying that in almost four years of full-scale war, they have occupied a third of the Donetsk region. And so I explained that claims that they will occupy our Donbas by the end of the year are mere talk. In other words, to occupy our Donbas, they would need another four years.”
Zelenskyy explained that Russia’s militarization of Crimea has played a pivotal role in the escalation of the war, serving as a springboard for Russian operations in southern Ukraine, pointing out that the failure of the international community to impose meaningful sanctions when Crimea was first seized in 2014 allowed Russia to strengthen its position.
The President reiterated the need for strong international support and security guarantees. He stressed that Ukraine’s ability to defend its territory and prevent further Russian encroachment depends on the continued backing of its allies, particularly in these key regions.
Previously, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia is “not refusing” any form of work regarding the Ukrainian settlement, whether bilateral or trilateral. However, he added that “any contacts involving top leaders must be prepared very carefully,” according to a report made by RBC on August 19.
