Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reaffirmed his unwavering stance against ceding any Ukrainian territory to Russia, just days before Donald Trump is set to meet with Vladimir Putin to discuss the ongoing war. The meeting, scheduled for Friday, August 15, in Alaska, is expected to focus on finding a resolution to the conflict, which has now entered its third year.
Trump, who has repeatedly called for an end to hostilities between Ukraine and Russia, has expressed frustration over the Kremlin’s reluctance to engage in meaningful negotiations.
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In the past, he has suggested imposing tougher sanctions on Russia and introducing secondary tariffs targeting countries that continue to buy Russian oil if Putin fails to make progress toward a settlement. Despite tensions, Trump remains hopeful that his upcoming talks with the Russian leader could yield a breakthrough.
However, fears remain that any failure to reach an agreement could see the war escalate further, with the potential to destabilize the region and spark a wider global conflict, ITV reports.
Speaking to reporters on August 12, Zelenskyy made clear that Ukraine would not withdraw from any of its remaining territories in the eastern Donbas region, which Russia still partially occupies. The Kremlin has reportedly demanded such a withdrawal as part of a potential ceasefire deal.
Zelenskyy firmly rejected the proposal, calling the idea unacceptable and dangerous. “We will not leave Donbas. We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the first part; our territories are illegally occupied,” he said, via The Guardian. “Donbas for the Russians is a springboard for a future new offensive.”
The Ukrainian president also stressed that giving up any territory would only embolden Moscow and create opportunities for future aggression. His comments come in direct contrast to Trump’s earlier suggestion that a peace deal might involve “some swapping of territories.”
In a message posted to Telegram on August 9, Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine’s position is non-negotiable. “The answer to Ukraine’s territorial question is already in the constitution of Ukraine. No one will and no one can deviate from it. Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier,” he wrote. He went on to warn that any solutions that excluded Ukraine’s participation would be “solutions against peace” and ultimately unworkable. “They will not bring anything. These are dead solutions, they will never work,” he said.
While early reports suggested Trump was considering inviting Zelenskyy to participate in the Alaska talks, the White House has confirmed the event remains a bilateral Trump-Putin summit for now, according to NBC News.
A White House official explained: “The President remains open to a trilateral summit with both leaders. Right now, the White House is focusing on planning the bilateral meeting requested by President Putin.”
As the Alaska meeting approaches, the world will be watching closely to see whether Trump can persuade Putin to make concessions, or whether Zelenskyy’s hardline position will clash with any compromises discussed behind closed doors.
