Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has drawn a red line: Ukraine will not give up land to Russia, not now, not ever. His declaration came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump floated the idea that ending the war could involve a “swapping of territories” — a notion that would mark a dramatic departure from the Biden administration.
On Friday, Trump confirmed that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next week in Alaska, their first face-to-face since Trump returned to the White House. “There will be some swapping of territories, to the betterment of both,” Trump told reporters, offering a preview of what he sees as a pathway to peace.
For Zelenskyy, the message was unacceptable. “Ukrainians will not give their land to occupiers,” he said. He warned that any deal made without Kyiv’s direct participation “is against peace” and would violate Ukraine’s constitution.
As of now, Zelenskyy is not expected to attend the Alaska talks, though he has urged for months that Ukraine must have “its voice at the table.” The prospect of U.S.-Russia negotiations without Ukraine’s leader has stirred unease in Kyiv, where officials recall an ill-fated Oval Office meeting that ended before it even began.
Trump’s proposal also lands well outside the positions held by the Biden administration and successive British governments, from Boris Johnson to Keir Starmer. In a call Saturday morning, Starmer assured Zelenskyy of London’s continued backing. Later that day, Downing Street hosted national security advisers from the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe to coordinate ahead of the Trump-Putin encounter. “The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine,” they said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military reported that two missile strikes and nearly 50 drone attacks, including hits on the city of Dnipro, have left at least three people injured.
For Zelenskyy, the timing is telling. The question is not just what will be discussed in Alaska — but whether Ukraine’s future will be decided there, with or without Ukraine in the room.
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