Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Kyiv would be required to give up territory as part of a peace deal with Russia. Zelensky stated that “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier” and warned that “any decisions made without Ukraine… will never work.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has forcefully rejected any peace deal with Russia that would require his country to cede territory. Zelensky’s statement on Saturday came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss an end to the war, suggesting that a deal could involve “some swapping of territories.”
Zelensky bristled at the prospect of talks without Ukraine’s involvement, stating in a video address, “Any decisions made against us, any decisions made without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace. They will bring nothing.” He cited the country’s Constitution, which forbids giving away its territory, as the definitive answer to the matter.
“Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier,” Zelensky asserted, adding that his country “will not give Russia any awards for what it has done.” The Kremlin confirmed the upcoming summit, stating the leaders would discuss a “long-term peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis.”