Zelenskyy says Putin wants the rest of Ukraine's Donetsk region as part of a ceasefire

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of the Donetsk region that it controls as part of a ceasefire deal, a proposal the leader categorically rejected.

Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would not withdraw from territories it controls, saying that would be unconstitutional and would serve only as a springboard for a future Russian invasion.

He said diplomatic discussions led by the U.S. focusing on ending the war have not touched on security guarantees for Ukraine to prevent future Russian aggression and that meeting formats currently being discussed do not include Europe’s participation, both key demands of Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Russian forces on the ground have been closing in on a key territorial grab around the city of Pokrovsk.

Zelenskyy said the necessity of territorial concessions was conveyed to him by U.S. officials ahead of a summit Friday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and in further meetings at the level of national security officials.

It remained unclear whether Ukraine would take part in the Friday summit. European Union leaders also have been sidelined from the meeting, and they appealed to Trump on Tuesday to protect their interests.

Zelenskyy said Putin wants the remaining 9,000 square kilometers (3,500 square miles) of Donetsk under Kyiv’s control, where the war’s toughest battles are grinding on, as part of a ceasefire plan, in a press briefing on Tuesday in Kyiv.

Doing so would hand Russia almost the entirety of the Donbas, a region comprising Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland that Putin has long coveted.

Zelenskyy learned of Russia's position after holding a call with Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff, after the latter’s bilateral meeting with Putin. Witkoff told Zelenskyy that Russia was ready to end the war and that there should be territorial concessions from both sides. Some European partners were also part of the call.

“And that, probably, Putin wants us to leave Donbas. That is, it didn’t sound like America wants us to leave,” he said, recounting the call.

Zelenskyy reiterated that withdrawing from Ukraine-controlled territory was out of the question, especially as the question of security guarantees for Ukraine, were not being discussed.

“We will not leave Donbas. We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the first part - our territories are illegally occupied,” Zelenskyy told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday. “Donbas for the Russians is a springboard for a future new offensive."

Zelenskyy said this is what occurred in 2014 when Russia illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula.

Trump has said he wants to see whether Putin is serious about ending the war, now in its fourth year.

The U.S. president has disappointed allies in Europe by saying Ukraine will have to give up some Russian-held territory. He also said Russia must accept land swaps, although it was unclear what Putin might be expected to surrender.

The Europeans and Ukraine are wary that Putin, who has waged the biggest land war in Europe since 1945 and used Russia’s energy might to try to intimidate the EU, might secure favorable concessions and set the outlines of a peace deal without them.

Referring to the format for ceasefire talks, Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that the U.S. proposed a bilateral meeting, between the U.S. and Russia, and then a trilateral meeting that would include Ukraine. Zelenskyy said the presence of Europe was important for Kyiv because these were the only partners offering security guarantees, including funding the Ukrainian army.

European countries’ overarching fear is that Putin will set his sights on one of them next if he wins in Ukraine.

Their leaders said Tuesday they “welcome the efforts of President Trump towards ending Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.” But, they underlined, “the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine” and “international borders must not be changed by force.”

The Europeans on Wednesday will make a fresh attempt to rally Trump to Ukraine’s cause at virtual meetings convened by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump did not confirm whether he would take part but did say “I’m going to get everybody’s ideas” before meeting with Putin.

Russia holds shaky control over four of the country’s regions, two in the country’s east and two in the south.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the chief of Zelenskyy’s office, said anything short of Russia’s strategic defeat would mean that any ceasefire deal would be on Moscow’s terms, erode international law and send a dangerous signal to the world.

Trump’s seemingly public rehabilitation of Putin — a pariah in most of Europe — has unnerved Ukraine’s backers.

The summit in Alaska is a “profoundly alarming moment for Europe,” said Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.

According to Gould-Davies, Putin might persuade Trump to try to end the war by “accepting Russian sovereignty” over parts of Ukraine, even beyond areas that it currently occupies. Trump also could ease or lift sanctions which are causing “chronic pain” to the Russian economy.

That would provoke a “really serious split in the transatlantic alliance," he said.

The war isn’t about Russia’s territorial expansion but about Putin’s goal of subordinating Ukraine, which would create the opportunity to threaten other parts of Europe, Gould-Davies said.

It was unclear whether the Europeans also were unsettled by Trump mistakenly saying twice he would be traveling to Russia on Friday to meet Putin. The summit is taking place in the U.S. state of Alaska, which was colonized by Russia in the 18th century until Czar Alexander II sold it to the U.S. in 1867.

Tuesday’s European joint statement was meant to be a demonstration of unity. But Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is Putin’s closest ally in Europe and has tried to block EU support for Ukraine, was the only one of the bloc’s 27 leaders who refused to endorse it.

Russia appeared closer to taking an important city in the Donetsk region, Pokrovsk.

Military analysts using open-source information to monitor the battles said the next 24-48 hours could be critical. Losing Pokrovsk would hand Russia an important victory ahead of the summit. It also would complicate Ukrainian supply lines to the Donetsk region, where the Kremlin has focused the bulk of military efforts.

“A lot will depend on availability, quantity and quality of Ukrainian reserves,” Pasi Paroinen, an analyst with the Finland-based Black Bird Group, wrote on social media late Monday.

Ukraine’s military said its forces are fending off Russian infantry units trying to infiltrate their defensive positions in the Donetsk region. The region’s Ukrainian military command on social media Monday acknowledged that the situation remains “difficult, unpleasant and dynamic.”

Elsewhere in Ukraine, a Russian missile attack on a military training facility left one soldier dead and 11 others wounded, the Ukrainian Ground Forces posted on social media.

Associated Press writer Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Emma Burrows in London contributed to this report. Cook reported from Brussels.

Ukrainian servicemen of 57th motorised brigade control an FPV drone at the frontline in Kharkiv region, Ukraine Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)

A Ukrainian serviceman of 57th motorised brigade controls an FPV drone at the frontline in Kharkiv region, Ukraine Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)

FILE - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a press conference during his visit to Vienna, Austria, June 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Heinz-Peter Bader, File)

In this photo provided by Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade press service, recruits practice military skills on a training ground on a sunflower field in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, (Andriy Andriyenko/Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade via AP)

FILE - President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Aug. 11, 2025, in Washington, as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, and Attorney General Pam Bondi look on. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, center, attends a cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

FILE - U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 Summit on July 7, 2017, in Hamburg, Germany. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford talks about having an All-Pro season at age 37, credits his teammates and coach Sean McVay for his success and says his primary focus is on advancing in the playoffs.

Rob Maaddi, host: Welcome to On Football, I’m Rob Maaddi. We’re down to eight teams in the running for the Super Bowl. Only eight get a chance to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy. We will break down all of the NFL divisional-round games in Pro Picks coming up. Our guest this week, LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Matthew, last week, was named first team Associated Press All-Pro for the first time in his 17-year NFL career. He had a very cool reaction when I shared the news with him. So did Puka Nacua, Will Anderson, and a bunch of other guys. If you missed it, check out my social, AP social. All of those reactions, very cool. It’s always great to see guys react to wonderful news.

Matthew Stafford is the only one of the eight remaining starting quarterbacks in the playoffs who has actually won a Super Bowl, but no one has more pressure than Josh Allen. Last week in Jacksonville on the road, he willed the Bills to victory. He kept getting knocked down, took a physical beating and carried them to the finish line. Got the W and this week they’re on the road against Denver. We’ll break down that game, coming up. But for whatever reason, it seems that Josh Allen is held to a higher standard. A lot of analysts, especially former players, are so eager to see him fail, and they want to put all of Buffalo’s hopes squarely on Josh Allen. So if receivers drop the ball, running backs fumble, defense gives up 50 points, they’re ready and eager to blame Josh Allen for the loss. Football is the ultimate team sport and while the quarterback and someone of the magnitude of Josh Allen is gonna have a lot of input on how the game plays out, it’s still a team sport, and you gotta wait to see how it plays out before you dish out the blame for a loss that didn’t even occur. It just doesn’t make any sense.

Matthew Stafford had his best season at age 37. I spent a few minutes chatting with him last week about being a first team All-Pro, playing for coach Sean McVay and more. I’m down here in Tampa, so I got to see the tail end of Tom Brady, what he did at 43, 44, 45. What you did this year at 37 is right up there with the greatest seasons of all time. I appreciate that. What’s it take to be able to get that done, man?

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams quarterback: Great teammates, to be honest with you. A lot of hard work and dedication to try and keep myself upright and out there for those guys because that’s who I care about. But I’m lucky to play with a bunch of great players that, you know, help me along the way, make my job easy, and you know my job is just to get them the rock and as best I possibly can. So it’s been a whole lot of fun, a lot of people involved in keeping me healthy and going, but it’s, it’s been a great year. It’s been fun.

MAADDI: How much do you appreciate playing for a guy like Coach McVay?

STAFFORD: I love it. He’s close in age to me. We’ve got a lot of great shared experiences now throughout the years. And just my appreciation for him is huge. I just love playing for him. Love getting to spend time with him. Love the way he coaches our team, me in particular, He’s as steady of a human being as I’ve been around. And I appreciate that about him.

MAADDI: I know you’re all about team goals and you’re trying to win another Super Bowl, but do you set time aside at all? Do you, are you able to reflect about the personal things, the personal accomplishments? Is there any, like you want to check off, check this, I did this, I got that, you know, anything like that.

STAFFORD: Um, you know, I think I’m just so in the middle of it right now, you know, and, and there’s so much to do and so much to, uh, you know, to accomplish as a team. I really want to keep my focus on that. Obviously, I do understand and appreciate, um, you know, the importance of, uh this game and, and, uh you know what it’s meant throughout the years and the history of it, but at the same time, I just want to do everything I can to be the best teammate I can and help our guys continue, to continue this journey because it has been so fun. We’ve got such a great group. I want to make sure that I do everything in my power to make sure that we get to come back to work next week and do it again.

MAADDI: How special would an MVP be if that were to happen?

STAFFORD: It would mean a lot. I think it would be an unbelievable team award because especially the way I play the game as quarterback, I’m not running around holding the ball for forever. I’m getting it to guys that are making great plays and doing unbelievable things. So many guys to thank if that ever did happen. But it is... It’s a special one. It’s one that means a lot. I understand the history of this game and so many great players before me and to be mentioned in any kind of breath with those guys would mean a lot.

MAADDI: Well, Matthew. Here’s one you don’t have to wait on. We’re gonna announce on Saturday The Associated Press All-Pro rosters. You are the first-team quarterback.

STAFFORD: Oh, hell, that’s amazing. I appreciate that. I did not know that was coming. Man, played a lot of years. A lot of respect for this game. A lot respect for the other guys that do what I do. It’s not an easy thing to do. So, it means a lot. I really appreciate that, thank you.

MAADDI: Good luck down the road and hope to see you maybe in San Francisco.

STAFFORD: Hey, I appreciate it, Rob. Thanks, man.

MAADDI: Time for some Pro Picks, we were 5-1 straight up last week, 4-2 against the spread, my best bet one didn’t cover, upset special was money again. The 4-pack was a 2-pack last week because I just didn’t love the games. This week we’re back to a full four-pack, which is 53-20-1 overall, 45-28-1 against the number that start with the best bet and again I’m looking at the LA Rams, 13-5, at Chicago. The Bears are 12-6. The Rams are 3.5 point road favorites. Matthew Stafford had to rally LA after they blew a 14-0 lead against Carolina in a game that shouldn’t have been that close. Ended up winning 34-31. The Ram’s are going to need an effort out of their defense. Over the last five games, LA has averaged giving up 30 points. Meanwhile, the Bears are the comeback kids. They were down 21-3 at halftime against Green Bay. Caleb Williams led them to their seventh fourth-quarter comeback win this year. They just can’t continue to do that. You’ve got to play a full four quarter game or else at some point it’s going to catch up to you and I think that’s this week. I’m taking the Rams, 30-23. For my upset special, which they are 14-5 straight up, 15-4 against the spread this season, I’m looking at Houston at New England. Texans are 13-5, Patriots are 15-3, New England is a 3-point favorite, Houston has the No. 1 defense in the NFL, and they showed it against Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. Ended Mike Tomlin’s coaching career in Pittsburgh, dominated that game, scored two touchdowns on defense. They have an All-Pro edge rusher in Will Anderson Jr. Their cornerback Derek Stingley is an All-Pro. They just need CJ Stroud to protect the football this week and I think he will. The Patriots also, last week against the Chargers, they relied on defense, they won 16-3, they shut down Justin Herbert. Drake Maye led the team in rushing. He had a great season in his second year in the NFL. They’re gonna need him to be outstanding, elite against this defense, against Houston, the best in the NFL. I see the Texans sneaking in, 17-16. Next, the Saturday games. Buffalo, 13-5, at Denver, 14-3. Broncos are just a one-point favorite. Josh Allen, as I said earlier, he did everything last week. Now he’s gonna face the number two defense. He’s going to need more help from his teammates. Rushing champion James Cook had only 46 yards against Jacksonville. He’s got to get going this week. The Broncos, they’re also stacked on defense. They’ve got an All-Pro in the interior of the line, Zach Allen. Nik Bonitto on the edge is a monster. Patrick Surtain at cornerback was the defensive player of the year last year. They had 68 sacks, franchise record this season on offense. Bo Nix, they’ve also been comeback kids. He’s led seven fourth-quarter comebacks. He’s going to go against the NFL’s number one pass defense. But the Broncos are the number one seed. They were home, they were off last week. Meanwhile, the Bills played on Sunday. They got a little bit of a shorter rest. I like the Broncos, 24-22. Lastly, San Francisco, 13-5, at Seattle, 14-3. The Seahawks are 7.5-point favorites. It’s the third time these two teams meet. They played for the NFC’s number one seed in Week 18 in San Fran. Seattle won that 13-3. 49ers beat the Seahawks earlier in the season on the road. Last week, the Niners lost George Kittle and still found a way to beat the Eagles, eliminate the defending Super Bowl champions. Christian McCaffrey had two touchdowns, Brock Purdy made all the plays. They keep losing star players, whether it’s Nick Bosa and Fred Warner earlier in the season, and they continue to find ways to be resilient to win, to be in this position. Meanwhile, Seattle, number one seed, they were off last week, they’re at home. They’re gonna need Sam Darnold not to make mistakes. The Niners have to make Sam Darnold beat them They’ve got to try and to shut down that run and put it all on Sam Darnold. I do not like the fact that the 49ers played a Sunday game on the East Coast and now have to play on a Saturday. Terrible decision-making by the NFL schedule makers They could have put Seattle and San Fran on Sunday because the Bears and the Rams played on Saturday, so they get an extra day rest. And the 49ers get the shaft. I think all of those injuries, the travel, the time, everything catches up to them. I’m taking the Seahawks, 23-20. That’s it for this week. Thank you to Matthew Stafford.

Thank you for watching and listening to On Football and thank you to Haya Panjwani and Mike Hempen for producing this episode. Please check out APNews.com for all of the Pro Picks, On Football analysis and more NFL news.

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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford answers question after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)