Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has underlined he will make no territorial concessions to Russia ahead of a scheduled meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on the future of the war in Ukraine.
The US-Russia meeting is due to take place in Alaska on 15 August.
Hours before announcing the meeting, Trump had signalled Ukraine might have to cede territory to end the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Zelensky said in a Telegram post on Saturday that “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier”. He reiterated that Ukraine must be involved in any solution for peace, and said he is ready to work with partners for a “real” and “lasting” peace.
Zelensky said Ukraine “will not give Russia awards for what it has done”.
“The answer to the Ukrainian territorial issue is already in the Constitution of Ukraine. No one will and cannot deviate from this,” he added.
His statement followed comments from Trump at the White House on Friday that there “will be some swapping of territories, to the betterment of both”.
“You’re looking at territory that’s been fought over for three and a half years, a lot of Russians have died. A lot of Ukrainians have died,” the US president said.
He did not provide further details on what any such proposal would look like.
Sacrificing land for peace has been the Trump position all along. Zelensky has always made clear that is unacceptable under Ukraine’s constitution and would only reward Russia for starting the war.
While Ukraine’s president has been careful not to criticise Trump, his post on social media makes clear that he will not accept it.
Trump announced his meeting with Putin – which was later confirmed by the Kremlin – on Friday, saying details would follow.
Zelensky on Saturday said that Ukraine is ready for “real solutions that can bring peace” but underlined that Ukraine needed to be involved.
“Any solutions that are against us, any solutions that are without Ukraine, are simultaneously solutions against peace,” he said.
“We are ready, together with President Trump, together with all partners, to work for a real, and most importantly, lasting peace – a peace that will not collapse because of Moscow’s wishes.”
This is what Ukraine, and many European allies, were always worried about – Trump and Putin trying to do a deal without Ukraine present.
Trump’s words on Russia may have hardened in recent months, but for Ukraine they have yet to be followed by tangible actions.
The US president’s deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire or face more sanctions has passed without any apparent consequences. Now, reports suggest Trump is still willing to discuss Ukraine giving up some of its territory in return for a ceasefire when he meets Putin in Alaska next week.
The BBC’s US partner CBS News, citing a senior White House official, reported that it remains possible Zelensky could end up being involved in some way, as planning for the Friday meeting is still fluid.
On the ground there is a resignation that any initial peace talks may not include Ukraine.
Among soldiers and civilians the BBC spoke to there is a strong desire for peace. There is exhaustion from the constant fighting and Russian drone and missile attacks.
But there is little evidence that Ukraine is willing to accept a peace at any price – much less one that will be forced on it without its voice being heard.
