Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected the idea of ceding the eastern Donbas region to Russia, pushing for his country’s inclusion in any talks about its future. His statement comes just days before U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Alaska to discuss an end to the ongoing war.
Zelensky, who has not been invited to the Alaska summit, emphasized that “the Ukrainian issue must be discussed by three sides at least,” referring to the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine. He voiced concerns about what might be discussed “without us,” stating that for Russians, the Donbas region is a “bridgehead for a future new offensive.”
The Ukrainian president’s comments follow remarks from President Trump, who suggested a “land swap” might be necessary to end the conflict and said he would try to get some territory back for Ukraine. At a press conference on Monday, Trump said, “Russia has occupied a big portion of Ukraine. They occupied prime territory. We’re going to try to get some of that territory back for Ukraine.”
However, President Putin has made it clear that he is demanding Ukraine cede control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which together form the Donbas, as a condition for a ceasefire and peace negotiations. This demand would require Zelensky to order the withdrawal of troops from approximately 9,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, a move he has explicitly stated he will not make.
Zelensky has argued that ceding this territory would be unconstitutional and would only give Russia a strategic advantage, allowing them to regroup and launch another offensive. He stressed that any territorial issues could only be discussed after a ceasefire is in place and Ukraine has received firm security guarantees.
This diplomatic maneuvering highlights the deep-seated divisions between the key players just before the high-stakes Alaska summit. Ukrainian and European leaders fear that Trump and Putin could strike a deal that is not in Ukraine’s best interests, which is why a virtual meeting between them was scheduled ahead of the summit to ensure a unified front.