Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reaffirmed on Saturday that Ukraine will not compromise its constitutional principles or surrender land to Russia, declaring, “Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupiers.”
The Kremlin confirmed an upcoming summit, with President Vladimir Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov saying the leaders will discuss “options for achieving a long-term peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis,” acknowledging the talks would be “challenging” but pursued “actively and energetically.”
In a video address on Telegram, Zelenskiy warned that any agreements made without Ukraine’s participation would be “decisions against peace” and “stillborn,” emphasizing the need for “real and genuine peace.”
Putin continues to claim four Ukrainian regions—Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—alongside Crimea, annexed in 2014, despite not fully controlling them. Bloomberg News earlier reported that U.S. and Russian officials were exploring a deal to formalize Moscow’s occupation of seized territories, a claim the White House dismissed as “speculation.” The Kremlin declined comment.
While Kyiv has signaled some flexibility in pursuit of ending the war, any acceptance of losing roughly 20% of its territory would be politically fraught. Former U.S. State Department official Tyson Barker said the reported proposal would be “immediately rejected” by Ukraine, urging Kyiv to maintain firm conditions for a settlement while appreciating American support.
