Zelensky tells AFP that Ukraine is not losing the warUkrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is coming under mounting pressure from Donald Trump to cede territory to Russia. (Photo: AFP)KYIV (UKRAINE) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told AFP on Friday that his country is not losing its war against Russia, has taken hundreds of square kilometres in a new counteroffensive, and that European troops should deploy right on the front line after any ceasefire. The question is whether we will win," Zelensky told AFP journalists at the presidential palace in the Ukrainian capital. Zelensky said Kyiv was taking advantage of the situation, but conceded to AFP that Ukrainian forces had also experienced interruptions due to the outages. And he told AFP on Friday that Kyiv wants European troops -- earmarked to be deployed in Ukraine in case of a halt in fighting -- to be positioned close to the front.

Source: Bangkok Post February 20, 2026 22:52 UTC