Russia cannot occupy eastern Ukraine, therefore it cannot be bargaining chip – Zelenskyy

17:45, 12.09.2025 1 min read

The Russians have no success and opportunities to occupy eastern Ukraine, therefore the issue of territories cannot be a bargaining chip, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

"The Russians have no success and opportunities to occupy the east, therefore it cannot be a bargaining chip. According to the legislation, and the Constitution, morality, simply humanly. How many people died there," he said during the 21st Annual Meeting of Yalta European Strategy (YES) "How to Stop the War."

Zelenskyy said the Russians are now in very difficult conditions in eastern Ukraine, however, they are intensifying disinformation, since the last offensives of the Russians in two or three months have failed.

"That's why they have no success on the battlefield. The pressure is coming from drones, exercises on the territory of Belarus, etc. They will try to carry out a few more offensive operations," the president said.