15:20
09.04.2026
A retreat from Donbas would increase the threat not only to Ukrainian cities but also to strategically important hubs, stated political expert and Candidate of Philosophical Sciences Oleksandra Reshmedilova.
“This is exactly what we are talking about—retreating from these fortifications. The threat will increase for many, not just for cities with over 1 million residents, but also for strategically important hubs. And the atrocities we saw in Irpin will not just scale up, they will multiply,” she said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Thursday.
She added that the negotiation process is ongoing, and Ukraine hopes that security guarantees will be provided by the US, or partially together with partners. However, Russia does not demonstrate a readiness to stop, and its appetites may only grow.
“We had numerous treaties and bilateral agreements where Russia recognized Ukraine within its previous borders. This did not stop them from the invasion, the annexation of Crimea, and many, many atrocities that followed,” she noted.
Furthermore, in the event of a withdrawal from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Russia would be right up against NATO borders.
“I am interested in what will be reached after the meeting between Trump and the NATO Secretary General. There is currently much resonance regarding whether the United States will leave NATO or not. But we are more interested in the developments NATO member states have to deter further aggression. They must clearly understand that this is not just an issue of our survival, but a matter of collective security in the region and on the European continent,” Reshmedilova emphasized.
Valentyn Haidai, Director of the Intermarium Institute and Candidate of Historical Sciences, also stressed that handing Donbas over to Russia would not automatically mean the end of the war.
“Even more, it would only encourage the appetites of Russia. It will continue to dictate its terms from more advantageous positions,” he said at the press conference.
Haidai noted that the enemy is so detached from reality that they simply will not accept any concessions as a finality.