DISINFO: The main task of Kyiv is the return of Donbas territory but without its people
SUMMARY
“First – the territory, then – the rest,” is how Zelenskyy announced the plan regarding Donbas. The main task for official Kyiv is the return of Donbas territory but not people.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that Kyiv is sabotaging peace in the Donbas region. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has never said that the return of territories of Donbas is more important for Kyiv than the local population. Russian media took out of the context a phrase from Zelenskyy's speech, which was given on the programme "Freedom of Speech by Savik Shuster". In fact, Zelenskyy said that without returning territories, Ukrainian citizens cannot be returned too. "It is very important to receive our own territory back. But firstly... we need to have access there. The main thing for me: to get the troops out, then we come there. If we come there, we will immediately bring our people back. After that, the border and elections," Zelenskyy said. Read previous cases about the Minsk agreements and the War in Ukraine.