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Zelensky rejects ceding land to Russia as Trump pushes for reply to Ukraine peace plan
“Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories. We, clearly, don't want to give up anything,” Zelensky said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reaffirmed that the country would not be open to ceding any land to Russia, even as United States President Donald Trump is pushing for a reply to the Ukraine peace proposal.
Zelensky stressed that he would not be relenting to any territorial losses, while saying, “Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories. We, clearly, don't want to give up anything.” The Ukrainian President further said, “That's what we are fighting for.”
Zelensky said that they did not have the right to cede territory according to law, the Associated Press reported.
“Do we consider ceding any territories? According to the law we don't have such right,” he said. Zelensky said that Ukraine's law, its constitution, and international law does not permit any concessions. “…And to be frank, we don't have a moral right either,” the Ukrainian President said.
This comes even as Trump, in an interview with Politico, said he had offered a new draft of the peace plan to Ukraine, while alleging that some officials from the country liked it.
However, he said that Zelensky was yet to go through the proposal. “It would be nice if he would read it,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, according to a Financial Times report, Trump's envoys have given Zelensky “days” to respond to the proposed peace deal, which allegedly requires Ukraine to accept territorial losses in exchange for US security guarantees.
Trump has further argued that Moscow has the “upper hand” in the conflict, AP reported citing the Politico interview.
Zelensky meets with European leaders
Amid talks on the peace proposal, Zelensky is in Europe to hold talks with several leaders. The Ukrainian President met with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni in Rome and discussed the progress of the peace process, a statement by the latter's office said.
The leaders discussed “developing robust security guarantees to prevent future aggression and maintaining pressure on Russia to join the negotiating table in good faith”, according to the statement.
This was a day after Zelensky held talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in London, AP reported.
