Zelenskyy reveals region Russia wants Ukraine to withdraw from as part of ceasefire deal
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from its eastern Donetsk region as part of a ceasefire deal.
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This would mean giving up the remaining 30 per cent of the Donetsk region and would leave almost the entirety of the Donbas in Russian hands, as reported by the Associated Press.
Speaking at a news briefing in Kyiv, the Ukrainian President said Russia’s position was conveyed to him by US officials before the summit on Friday between US President Donald Trump and Putin.
He reiterated that Ukraine would not withdraw from territories it controls because it was unconstitutional and would only serve as a springboard for a future Russian invasion.
Russia has made several advances on the battlefield as it reportedly seized more than six miles of territory in the Pokrovsk and Dobropol region.
More than 110,000 Russian personnel are advancing in the Pokrov region alone, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
They are 'acting boldly' by using small infantry groups and sabotage to break through the Ukrainian defence.
Several small groups attempted to take control of Zolotoy Kolodyaz and "saboteurs secretly penetrated" the towns and villages of Vesele, Vilne, Rubizhne, Kucheriv Yar by using the local environment to its advantage.
The Ukrainians have said that some of these groups have been "destroyed" and the others will be soon.
"The situation is difficult and dynamic, but the Defense Forces are taking all necessary measures to detect and destroy enemy groups," wrote the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Telegram.
"In particular, by the decision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, additional forces and means have been allocated to strengthen the stability of the defense. Measures have been planned to block enemy groups in a certain area.
"Reserve units have already detected the enemy and are having their first successes: the occupiers are being destroyed and taken prisoner."
Residents of Drobopillya and Bilozerske in Ukraine's Donetsk region are being evacuated by NGOs in response to the advances made by Russia.
It has been suggested that Putin is attempting to take as much land as possible ahead of bilateral talks with the United States on Friday where it is expected that the Russian leader will discuss the possibility of a ceasefire with Trump.
The American leader claimed at a press conference on Monday that he would know within minutes whether he would be able to make progress on ending the war with Putin.
He thinks that the talks "will be good, but it might be bad", and is viewing the Friday talks as a "feel-out meeting".
"Russia's occupied a big portion of Ukraine," said Trump.
"They occupied prime territory. We're going to try to get some of that territory back for Ukraine," he told a news conference.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not been invited to join the talks but says no decisions on "Ukraine's future and the security of our people" can be made without the inclusion of the nation.
In an address shared on social media, the president said that Putin views the meeting as a chance to declare a personal victory but nothing will change.
"The Russian military is not acting as if they are preparing to stand down," he said.
"So far, there is no indication whatsoever that the Russians have received signals to prepare for a post-war situation.
"On the contrary, they are redeploying their troops and forces in ways that suggest preparations for new offensive operations. If someone is preparing for peace, this is not what he does."