Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly rejected the idea that Ukraine should give up any land to Russia in exchange for peace.
In a statement posted Saturday, Zelenskyy said, “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.” He made it clear that no deal involving Ukraine’s territory is on the table — especially not one made without Ukraine’s involvement.
This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska. Trump says the goal is to end the war in Ukraine, which began more than three years ago when Russia invaded.
But Trump has signaled he may be open to letting Russia keep some of the land it’s taken. Speaking to reporters, he floated the idea of “some swapping of territories” — a move that has sparked outrage in Kyiv.
Zelenskyy fired back, warning that any backroom deal that excludes Ukraine won’t work. “Any decisions that are without Ukraine are at the same time decisions against peace,” he said. “These are dead decisions. They will never work.”
Zelenskyy also warned against rewarding Russia for its aggression. “We will not give Russia any awards for what it has done,” he said, stressing that Ukraine’s borders are protected by its constitution and are not up for negotiation.
Despite mounting pressure, Russia has shown no signs of backing down. Its forces continue to bomb Ukrainian cities and push deeper into the country. On Saturday, Russian drones killed at least four people in separate strikes in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, according to local officials. Ukraine said it intercepted 16 out of 47 drones overnight, while Russia claimed it shot down over 100 Ukrainian drones.
Trump’s decision to meet with Putin before speaking to Zelenskyy has added to fears that Ukraine could be sidelined — and that Putin could be handed a political win on American soil.
Putin’s adviser, Yuri Ushakov, confirmed the summit, saying it was “entirely logical” for it to take place in Alaska.
Meanwhile, Trump’s earlier threats to impose new sanctions on Russia have yet to lead to any real action. Friday’s deadline came and went, with no clear word from the White House about whether penalties would be enforced.
While Trump hopes the Alaska summit could lead to a breakthrough, Zelenskyy made one thing crystal clear: Ukraine’s land is not up for negotiation.
