President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly indicated that Ukraine will not entertain any Russian proposals to surrender the Donbas region in exchange for a ceasefire, deeming such offers potentially dangerous for future security. This declaration comes just before a significant meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
Trump has suggested that a peace agreement might involve "some swapping of territories," which could allow Russia to fully control the eastern Donbas region and retain Crimea. With Russian forces launching a new offensive, making notable progress near the eastern town of Dobropillia—advancing 10 kilometers within a brief timeframe—Zelensky acknowledged the alarming situation but assured that Ukraine would quickly counter the attacking units.
Details regarding Putin's demands at the upcoming Anchorage meeting have not been disclosed. The Donbas region, which includes key areas of Luhansk and Donetsk, has been under partial Russian occupation since 2014, with Russia currently holding nearly all of Luhansk and roughly 70% of Donetsk. Zelensky warned that any withdrawal from the Donbas would create a vulnerable position for Ukraine, allowing Russian forces easier access to launch further assaults.
Zelensky's nightly address also pointed out that new threats are emerging from Russian preparations for offensives in Zaporizhzhia, Pokrovsk, and Novopavlov areas. Turkey has further exacerbated concerns in Kyiv and wider Europe after Trump indicated the possibility of territorial swaps that could enable Russia to alter Ukraine's borders through military might.
Russia already occupies close to 20% of Ukrainian territory. The White House clarified that the Alaska meeting would primarily serve as a "listening exercise" for Trump, with the goal of determining strategies to conclude the conflict. Shifting from earlier optimistic tones regarding the meeting's outcome, Trump recently described it as a "feel-out meeting," dampening expectations of immediate progress toward peace.
Zelensky, excluded from the summit discussions, voiced skepticism about the potential for positive developments from the talks. He has refrained from publicly criticizing Trump but has revealed frustrations over his nation's exclusion and noted that Alaska's selection as the meeting site appears to favor Putin. “He is coming out of isolation, because they are meeting with him on US territory,” he stated.
On Wednesday, Zelensky is set to participate in a virtual meeting alongside Trump, EU leaders, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and NATO chief Mark Rutte, all aimed at urging Trump not to succumb to Putin’s pressures during their discussions.
