Eleanor Beardsley

Ukrainians fear the U.S.

in its quest to seal a deal.

will pressure Kyiv to abandon Donetsk.

Russia is making incremental gains in eastern Ukraine but lost 25,000 soldiers in the month of October alone.

Ukraine's commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Sersky, says Kyiv's strategy is to exhaust the Russians and prevent their advance.

Sersky says he does not even allow himself to consider a scenario in which Ukraine would be forced to give Russia the entire Donetsk region.

Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Kyiv.

Ukraine still holds on to a little less than 30% of Donetsk Oblast, but it's a key fortified belt that includes several cities with people who want to remain in Ukraine.

Russia wants Ukraine to hand it all over.

Ukrainians fear the U.S., in its quest to seal a deal, will pressure Kyiv to abandon Donetsk.

Russia is making incremental gains in eastern Ukraine but lost 25,000 soldiers in the month of October alone.

Ukraine's commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Sersky, says Kyiv's strategy is to exhaust the Russians and prevent their advance.

Sersky says he does not even allow himself to consider a scenario in which Ukraine would be forced to give Russia the entire Donetsk region.

Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Kyiv.

Ukraine still holds on to a little less than 30 percent of Donetsk Oblast, but it's a key fortified belt that includes several cities with people who want to remain in Ukraine.

Russia wants Ukraine to hand it all over.

Ukrainians fear the U.S., in its quest to seal a deal, will pressure Kyiv to abandon Donetsk.

Russia is making incremental gains in eastern Ukraine but lost 25,000 soldiers in the month of October alone.

Ukraine's commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Sersky, says Kyiv's strategy is to exhaust the Russians and prevent their advance.

Sersky says he does not even allow himself to consider a scenario in which Ukraine would be forced to give Russia the entire Donetsk region.