Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly opposed any suggestion of Ukraine sacrificing land to reach a peace agreement with Russia, countering U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal of potential territorial exchanges. Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine’s stance of not rewarding Russia for its actions and reiterated the refusal to yield land to the occupying force.
European and Ukrainian officials convened with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in England on Saturday to explore strategies for ending the prolonged conflict. This meeting followed Trump’s announcement of a willingness to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin, even if Putin declined to meet with Zelenskyy. Representatives from the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Finland, and Poland participated in the talks, which Zelenskyy described as productive on X platform.
Zelenskyy expressed confidence in the United States’ capability to facilitate the war’s resolution, highlighting the determination and tools possessed by the U.S. president. Dismissing a proposed summit, Zelenskyy stressed that any peace negotiations regarding Europe’s significant conflict must involve Kyiv to be effective, emphasizing that decisions excluding Ukraine are counterproductive and futile for achieving peace.
The potential Trump-Putin summit holds promise as a critical juncture in the ongoing conflict, which originated from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and resulted in substantial casualties. However, the meeting’s outcome remains uncertain as Moscow and Kyiv maintain divergent peace conditions. The European Union’s president and leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland, and the U.K. issued a collective statement endorsing Ukraine’s cause and the imperative of ending the conflict through a blend of diplomacy, support for Ukraine, and pressure on Russia.
In a White House briefing, Trump hinted at territorial exchanges without elaborating on specifics. Analysts speculated about Russia potentially relinquishing control over territories beyond the four annexed regions. Trump proposed meeting Putin before engaging with Zelenskyy, deviating from anticipated summit locations, with suggestions of Alaska as a plausible venue.
Nigel Gould-Davies, a senior fellow specializing in Russia and Eurasia, underscored the symbolism of holding the summit in Alaska, observing its historical significance in territorial exchanges. The reactions in Kyiv varied from skepticism to resignation regarding the notion of ceding territory to Russia, with citizens grappling with the complexities of potential concessions amid the conflict’s toll on lives and stability.
Before the summit announcement, Trump’s efforts to compel Russia to cease hostilities yielded no progress. The White House previously set a deadline for imposing additional sanctions on Russia and secondary tariffs on Russian oil buyers if the Kremlin failed to pursue a settlement, although the status of these measures remained unclarified. The conflict persisted as Russia’s military continued its incursion into Ukraine, with ongoing attacks on Ukrainian cities.
The escalating hostilities between Russia and Ukraine resulted in casualties, including fatalities from drone strikes in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, underscoring the intensity of the conflict. Both sides reported military actions, with Ukraine intercepting multiple Russian drones and Russia claiming the downing of Ukrainian drones over its territory.