Negotiations do not involve exchanging small border territories for entire Donbas – Zelensky

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the negotiations do not involve trading small territories on the borders of certain regions for the whole territory of Donbas.

He stated this while answering journalists' questions, Ukrinform's correspondent reports.

Regarding whether the talks concern exchanging territories in Donbas not captured by Russia for areas it has seized in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, Zelensky stressed that these lands cannot be compared, primarily because it is very difficult for the enemy to hold border territories.

"The Russians clearly understand that they will not be able to hold them and that the moment will come when we will push them out of these territories. Therefore, this is not a gift. Donbas, the east of our state, is their objective. In principle, they have not changed their goals. One could say their appetite has slightly decreased, but that is for now. Therefore, we are not talking about exchanging small border territories for the large territory of Donbas or the part of Donetsk region that we currently control," he said.

As reported earlier, Zelensky had stated that the next peace negotiations are to take place in Abu Dhabi in early March. They have not been canceled so far.