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If Ukraine gives up Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in Donetsk region, the war could spread into a neighboring region, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with The Diary of a CEO podcast.
Russia’s goals in eastern Ukraine
Zelenskyy said Russia aims to capture eastern Ukraine, including Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. From there, Russian forces could advance toward Dnipropetrovsk region, including Pavlohrad and Dnipro.
He described the area as an industrial and engineering hub vital to Ukraine’s economy, noting that the country has built strong defensive fortifications there.
“If we give them these cities, the risk is enormous. If he wants to advance further, he could capture a huge number of our cities. The risk is real. Nobody can guarantee anything,” Zelenskyy said.
He noted that security guarantees are now being discussed widely and that Ukraine is open to such talks. However, Russia wants Ukraine to withdraw even farther.
“If we withdraw, where are the security guarantees? Not to mention that it is unfair,” he said.
Zelenskyy also referred to Kherson, where the Dnipro River separates Ukrainian-held territory from Russian positions on the opposite bank, leaving the city exposed to Russian shelling.
He estimated that Russia controls around 18–19% of Ukraine’s territory, adding that Russian authorities show their population different maps.
“Putin wants to capture the city of Zaporizhzhia, but he cannot do it. That is one of his goals. Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv are also targets, although he does not say so directly,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president recalled that US President Donald Trump has called for a compromise. Ukraine, he argued, is already making its biggest concession by agreeing to a ceasefire.
“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 they are now is an enormous compromise,” Zelenskyy added.
On October 21, Zelenskyy said freezing hostilities along the current front line was a realistic path toward ending the war. Ukraine would then seek security guarantees from Trump and European allies.
Meanwhile, on October 22, Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces said Russian troops had completed preparations for renewed mechanized assaults and were moving armored vehicles into position in the south.
Anastasiia Shevchenko, deputy spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces, said the Huliaipole sector remained the hottest area, with 10–20 clashes reported daily.
