Zelenskyy said this in an interview with AP.
"If Bakhmut is captured by Russian troops, Vladimir Putin will sell this victory to the West, his society, China, and Iran," Zelenskyy said.
In his opinion, almost any defeat now could jeopardize the pace of Ukraine's resistance.
"If he will feel some blood — smell that we are weak — he will push, push, push. We can’t lose the steps because the war is a pie — pieces of victories. Small victories, small steps," Zelenskyy said.
At the same time, he noted that a defeat in the battle for Bakhmut would be more of a costly political defeat than a tactical one and could lead to pressure from the international community and Ukrainian society.
"Our society will feel tired. Our society will push me to have compromise with them," Zelenskyy warned.
Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces , said that the priority goal of the Defense Forces in the Bakhmut direction is to deplete the Russian troops and inflict heavy losses on them.