Kiev (Ukraine) (AFP) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed to Agence France-Presse on Friday that Kiev "is not losing the war" against Moscow, but has regained hundreds of kilometers of its territory in a new counterattack, stressing the necessity of deploying European forces "close to the front line" after reaching any ceasefire.

Published on: 02/20/2026 - 20:35

Zelensky gave an exclusive interview with Agence France-Presse, days before the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of his country, at a time when the outcome of the war between the two countries and the form of any agreement to end the worst conflict in Europe since World War II are not yet clear.

US President Donald Trump is seeking to push Kiev to agree to an agreement with Moscow in the midst of a very harsh winter for Ukraine's exhausted population and its depleted army.

Zelensky told AFP during the interview held at the presidential palace in Kiev, "It cannot be said that we are losing the war. Frankly, we are certainly not losing it. The question is, will we win?"

He added, "Yes, that is the question, but it is a question that carries a very high price."

The war launched by Russian forces on February 24, 2022 claimed tens of thousands of civilians and hundreds of thousands of military personnel on both sides.

This winter, Russian forces intensified their systematic targeting of energy facilities in Ukraine, causing millions of residents to be deprived of electricity and heating for weeks amidst extreme cold.

Washington and Moscow are currently pressuring Kiev to give up the disputed Donbass region in eastern Ukraine to the Kremlin in any agreement to end the four-year war.

Zelensky told Agence France-Presse, “The Americans and Russians say that if you want the war to end tomorrow, get out of Donbas,” which Russia demands to be under its sovereignty.

Ukrainian advance in the south

The negotiations sponsored by the United States in Geneva earlier this week did not lead to any progress on the issue of territory, which constitutes a basic clause in any agreement to end the war.

Moscow threatened to forcefully occupy the entire Donbass if Kiev did not withdraw, while Putin showed no signs of giving up his strict demands to end his four-year-long invasion.

However, Ukraine still retains about a fifth of the Donetsk fortified industrial region, while Russia has controlled almost the entire Lugansk region. Together the two regions are referred to as Donbass.

Ukraine has repeatedly refused to withdraw its forces from the region, considering that such a step would only encourage Russia.

The demand to cede territory to Russia comes at a time when, according to Zelensky, Kiev forces are making progress in counterattacks along the southern front line.

He said, "I will not give many details, but today, I can congratulate our army above all else (...) because so far, 300 square kilometers have been liberated."

Zelensky did not clarify the time period during which this happened, and Agence France-Presse was unable to confirm this information.

Military bloggers expected that some of these gains were achieved thanks to the ban that was recently imposed to prevent Russian forces from using the Starlink system on the front with Ukraine, after the founder of this service, Elon Musk, announced that he had taken “measures” to put an end to this use.

Zelensky said that Kiev was benefiting from the situation, but he acknowledged that Ukrainian forces had also suffered interruptions of this kind.

He added, "There are problems, there are challenges," but he pointed out that the setbacks facing the Russian side are "much more serious."

In addition to demanding the cession of territory, the United States and Russia are pressuring Ukraine to hold presidential elections as part of its comprehensive plan for a peace agreement.

Zelensky explained that Kiev will not be able to hold elections until after the end of the war, considering that Russia is pressing to hold quick elections in Ukraine because the Kremlin sees this as a way to oust him.

"Let's be honest, the Russians just want someone else to replace me," he said.

Security guarantees

Zelensky added, "No one (in Ukraine) wants elections during a war. Everyone fears a devastating impact, a division of society."

Throughout the invasion, the Ukrainian president rejected the idea of ​​holding elections, given that millions of Ukrainians were forced to be displaced due to battles, or to reside in the occupied territories.

He pointed out the difficulty of holding any elections in light of the continuing war, especially in cities and towns that are subject to Russian bombing.

The Ukrainian president also clarified that he has not yet made a decision regarding his candidacy in future elections.

Zelensky (48 years old), who achieved a landslide victory in the 2019 elections, said that holding elections in Ukraine is not possible unless its allies provide strong security guarantees to prevent any Russian attacks.

Speaking to Agence France-Presse on Friday, he called for the deployment of international forces charged with ensuring a ceasefire if it is reached, "at a distance close to the front's plan."

He said, "We hope to see the force close to the front line. Of course, no one wants to be on the front line," although "the Ukrainians want our partners to be on our side" at this line.

© 2026 AFP

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