Zelensky Rejects Land Concessions After Trump Hints at Territorial Deal With Russia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected the idea of ceding Ukrainian territory to Russia, just hours after former U.S. President Donald Trump suggested territorial concessions could form part of a peace deal to end the ongoing war.
In a statement on Saturday, Zelensky said Ukrainians "will not give their land to occupiers" and emphasized that any agreement reached without Ukraine’s direct involvement would be “against peace.” His comments came in response to Trump’s announcement that he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15, for high-stakes talks on the war.
The meeting, if confirmed, will mark Putin’s first face-to-face negotiations with Trump since 2019. While Trump has not revealed the full agenda of the talks, his public hint at “possible territorial swaps” has already sparked strong reactions in Kyiv. Zelensky underscored that Ukraine’s sovereignty and internationally recognized borders are non-negotiable, warning that bypassing Ukraine in any discussions would undermine both international law and stability.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022 and has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, mass displacement, and widespread destruction. Despite significant losses on both sides, Moscow still occupies approximately 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea and parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
While Russia has failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough on the battlefield, Ukraine’s counteroffensives have also struggled to regain major ground. This military deadlock has fueled calls from some international voices for negotiated settlements, though Kyiv remains steadfast in its refusal to accept any loss of territory.
The upcoming Alaska meeting is likely to draw intense global scrutiny, not only for its potential impact on the war but also for the optics of a U.S.-Russia dialogue that excludes Ukraine. For now, Zelensky’s message is clear: any peace must be built on justice, sovereignty, and respect for Ukraine’s borders.