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Zelenskyy: Russia could capture many Ukrainian cities if Ukraine gives up Donbas

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine

22 October 2026 14:26 (UTC +04:00)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview on The Diary Of A CEO podcast that if Ukraine gives up Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, the war could spread further into a neighboring region.

According to Zelenskyy, Russia wants to capture eastern Ukraine, including Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. From there, the route leads into the Dnipropetrovsk region, toward Pavlohrad and Dnipro.

He added that the area is an industrial and machine-building hub on which Ukraine’s economy depends. He also noted that the country has established a heavily fortified defensive line there.

“If we give them these cities of ours, the risk is enormous. If he wants to advance further, he will be able to capture a huge number of our cities. The risk is real. No one can guarantee anything,” the president said.

Zelenskyy noted that everyone is now talking about security guarantees and that Ukraine is open to such discussions. At the same time, Russia wants Ukraine to withdraw even farther.

“If we withdraw, where are the security guarantees? Not to mention that it is unfair,” he asked.

The Dnipro River divides Kherson. According to Zelenskyy, Ukrainians live on one bank and the enemy on the other, which is why Russian forces shell the city.

Zelenskyy estimated that Russia controls approximately 18–19% of Ukraine’s territory. He also noted that Russian authorities show their citizens different maps.

“He (Russian President Vladimir Putin, — ed.) wants to capture the city of Zaporizhzhia, but he cannot do it. That is one of his objectives. Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv are also targets, although he does not say so directly,” Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy recalled that US President Donald Trump is urging the sides to seek a compromise. According to the Ukrainian leader, Ukraine is already making the biggest compromise.

“The biggest compromise we are already making is a ceasefire. Let’s just stop this war,” he said.

“I have tried many times to tell the US president: just understand us. Simply holding the lines where we are now is an enormous compromise,” Zelenskyy added.