Zelenskyy simply and accurately explains why giving up the Donbas won’t end the war: "Putin says he wants the Donbas, but why, at the start of the full-scale invasion, was he trying to occupy Kyiv? Is that the east of our country? Is that the Donbas? No, that’s the capital. Without a capital, there is no state. Putin wants to destroy Ukraine. For us, the question is not about withdrawing from the Donbas. The real question is the survival of our state. We stand and fight, because what is the alternative? To be destroyed. Simply put, not everyone feels this because Ukraine is still standing. We have stabilized the battlefield. We are grateful to our partners in Europe, America, and other countries, Japan is helping, Canada is helping, Australia, New Zealand, whoever can. Ukraine stands against such a powerful enemy as Russia. We stand, otherwise we will be destroyed. It’s always difficult, you know, in communications with partners, to find the right words, the warnings that they will truly understand. Putin wants to destroy us. He doesn't respect us, our sovereignty, or our territorial integrity. He genuinely believes that we are not a country, not a nation. So do you really trust that he only needs the eastern part of our country? Of course that will never be enough for him. And what will happen if we fall? How many people, I don’t know, maybe twenty million Ukrainians, will come to Europe? Because Putin will destroy our homes and force us out. For me, this is absolutely clear. That’s why we are standing strong, defending our country. Yes, with pain, with huge losses. That’s why we are asking: stop the killing. And as I have heard so many times from POTUS, 'they have to stop the killing.' Russia is killing us on our own territory. They came onto our land and keep pushing further. They do not want to stop. They do not even want to freeze the war, as you can see. So, do you think what Putin really wants is just the eastern part of our country? No. It will never be enough for a person like him."