Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has categorically rejected the idea of ceding land to Russia, emphasizing that any decisions made without Ukraine’s participation would be futile in achieving peace. In a video statement shared on social media, Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine is ready for “real decisions” that could lead to a “dignified peace,” but there can be no compromise on territorial integrity.
“Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier,” Zelenskyy declared. “Decisions without Ukraine will not bring peace. They will not achieve anything. These are stillborn decisions. They are unworkable decisions. And we all need real and genuine peace. Peace that people will respect.”
This statement comes ahead of a highly anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15, aimed at discussing a potential end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump suggested that a peace deal would involve “some swapping of territories” to the benefit of both parties. However, Zelenskyy’s stance underscores the complexity and challenges inherent in negotiating a resolution to the conflict.
Zelenskyy’s comments also highlight the deep-seated concerns about Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial rights. Russia’s declaration of annexing four Ukrainian regions—Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson—in 2022, along with the annexation of Crimea in 2014, remains a significant point of contention. Putin has repeatedly stated that any peace deal must involve Ukraine relinquishing some of the territories Russia has seized.
In a separate development, Zelenskyy engaged in discussions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, urging Ukraine’s allies to take concrete steps towards achieving a sustainable peace. National security advisers from Ukraine’s allies, including the US, EU nations, and the UK, are gathering in Britain to align their views ahead of the Trump-Putin summit.
The upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin marks a significant diplomatic effort to address the Ukraine war, but the road to peace appears fraught with challenges, given the vastly different positions of the parties involved. As Putin aide Yuri Ushakov noted, the talks will “focus on discussing options for achieving a long-term peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis.” This will evidently be a challenging process, but both sides have expressed willingness to engage actively and energetically in the negotiations.