Kyiv  dismisses ceasefire talk amid Russia’s stepped-up offensive in Donbas

Ukraine will not agree to a ceasefire with Russia – and stressed  it will not welcome any  deal with Moscow if  it involves territorial concessions.

In his video address to Ukrainians, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy struck a defiant tone arguing that  although the fighting would be ‘bloody’, the end to the war in Ukraine would eventually happen through a diplomatic effort while  Russian occupation of its territory would not last long.

‘The situation is difficult’, admitted Zelensky, as Russia is pushing forward to Severodonetsk and Slavyask.but Ukrainian troops are poised to stave off its assault.

The same strong message came from his  adviser Mykhailo Podolyak who said agreeing to a ceasefire would be no go for Kyiv, arguing that caving to Russia’s pressure and agreeing to concessions could backfire on Ukraine as  Moscow would  would only hit harder after any break in fighting.

They can just come back with a new attack, ‘bloodier and more bigger’, argued Podolyak in his comments for Reuters.

d that Kyiv would not accept any deal with Moscow that involved ceding any territory.