Russia Fears Decisive Actions by the U.S., Says Zelensky

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is attempting to create an image by capturing Pokrovsk that suggests Russia can supposedly control the entire Donbas region. According to Zelensky, this move aims to persuade Western countries to pressure Kyiv into conceding Donbas.

“Putin needs the capture of Pokrovsk to spread the narrative that they can take Donbas and compel Western countries to demand that Ukraine surrender it to Russia. I believe this also affects the sanctions process, both in terms of tightening and delaying them. Russia fears decisive actions from the U.S., and regarding Pokrovsk, it is trying to demonstrate its successes on the battlefield,” Zelensky noted.