Zelensky Rejects Trump’s Peace Proposal with Territorial Concessions
(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has firmly rejected a proposal backed by U.S. President Donald Trump that would involve territorial concessions to Russia as part of a potential peace agreement, declaring that “the Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupiers.”
The sharp rebuke came Saturday during Zelensky’s routine video address, in which he insisted Ukraine’s borders are defined by its constitution and stressed that “nobody can or will” make concessions on sovereignty.
The comments followed a visit to Moscow by Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who reportedly made progress toward a compromise aimed at ending the war, now in its fourth year.
Trump said the proposed deal envisions “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” sides. He added that Zelensky would need to navigate the legal process in Ukraine to greenlight such an agreement.
But Zelensky signaled any externally brokered decision lacking Ukraine’s direct involvement would not be accepted. “Any decision taken against us and without us, without Ukraine, would be a decision against peace,” he said. He emphasized that Ukrainians would only accept a “real, living peace.”
Earlier in the week, Zelensky acknowledged that Kyiv currently lacks the military capacity to retake all Russian-held territories. Ukraine’s military effort continues to depend heavily on Western weapons, intelligence, and financial support.
Russian officials, meanwhile, accuse Zelensky of ignoring battlefield realities and unnecessarily extending a war that Moscow claims could be resolved diplomatically. The Kremlin maintains it remains committed to achieving key national security objectives.
Zelensky’s reference to the Ukrainian Constitution comes amid questions about his continued tenure in office. Under the charter, a president must either step down after their term ends or transfer authority to a newly elected leader or the parliament speaker. Zelensky’s term expired last year, but he retained power under martial law, citing wartime necessity.
Last month, Zelensky faced criticism from Ukraine’s Western allies after his administration passed legislation stripping independence from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, a watchdog created in 2015 under foreign pressure. He later reversed course after international donors threatened to withhold aid.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
