Ukraine’s army sabotaging diplomacy? Zelensky's commander rejects compromise as Russia advances

In a rare and forceful interview, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi declared that it would be “unacceptable” for Ukraine to surrender any territory to Russia, warning that Moscow is using ongoing US-brokered peace talks as a “cover” to seize more land. Syrskyi insisted that any peace must begin with a ceasefire along the current front line—without territorial concessions. He cautioned that if Russia is not stopped in Ukraine, European nations must be ready to defend themselves, stressing that Ukrainian forces are “defending all of Europe.” His remarks come as US and Ukrainian officials concluded a second round of discussions in Florida on President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to end the war, with US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner describing the talks with Kyiv’s negotiator Rustem Umerov as “productive.”