By Aldgra Fredly
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed on Saturday that Ukraine will not cede any of its territories to Russia as part of a potential peace deal with Moscow.
Zelenskyy made the remarks ahead of a meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week to discuss a possible cease-fire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump told reporters at the White House on Aug. 8 that there could be “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” to end the Russia-Ukraine war that has been going on since February 2022.
In a video address, Zelenskyy ruled out any territorial concessions in pursuing a peace deal with Russia, saying there will be no violation of the Ukrainian Constitution on territorial matters.
“The answer to the Ukrainian territorial question already is in the Constitution of Ukraine. No one will deviate from this—and no one will be able to. Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier,” he said.
Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine is ready for “real decisions” that could bring peace, but said any solution to the war would fail if made without Kyiv’s involvement.
“The Ukrainian people deserve peace. But all partners must understand what a dignified peace is,” he said, insisting that Ukraine “will not reward Russia for what it has perpetrated.”
The U.S. and Russian leaders are set to meet in Alaska on Aug. 15, which will be their first in-person summit since Trump returned to the White House for a second term in January.
Speaking to reporters on Aug. 8, Trump said that increased military spending by NATO and the hike in tariffs on India for buying oil from Russia—in which the U.S. raised the total tariff on that country to 50 percent—may have contributed to Moscow’s agreement to the talks.
“President Putin, I believe, wants to see peace. And Zelenskyy wants to see peace,” he said. “Now President Zelenskyy has to get… everything he needs because he is going to have to get ready to sign something, and I think he is working hard to get that done.”
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, visited Moscow on Aug. 6 and met with Putin for three hours of talks, although details of their discussion have not been disclosed.
Last month, Trump announced the U.S. would deliver Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine, with the European Union covering the cost of those weapons.
The announcement came just weeks after Washington paused shipments of some arms to Ukraine as part of what the Pentagon said was a capability review to ensure that military aid aligns with U.S. defense priorities.
Andrew Thornebrooke contributed to this report.
