Russia won't compromise on Donbas

According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov, Russia will not allow any compromise on Donbas, Crimea, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. He emphasized that 'we cannot in any form make a compromise on this issue, because in our view it would mean revising a fundamental element of our statehood enshrined in our constitution'—he said in an interview with ABC News.

Ryabkov stressed that Russia sees the conflicts in eastern Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea as strategically important issues, and any concessions could negatively affect the country's national security.

Context

In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, after which the conflict in eastern Ukraine continued, including the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.