Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed the idea of Ukraine ceding land to Russia in proposed ceasefire talks, stating that the Ukrainian people deserve peace and that “all partners” must understand peace. This comes just hours after the White House’s deadline for a peace agreement between the nations lapsed. Trump proposed a land swap as a possible concession in his push to end the three-year-long war. Zelensky argued that any agreements made between Trump and Putin, that do not include Kyiv, will further undermine hopes for de-escalation in the region. The White House did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment. Zelensky had previously suggested swapping portions of Ukraine for a small pocket of Russian territory, to include parts of Kursk Oblast, captured by Kyiv last year. Trump signaled hope at the time that discussions would bring an end to the conflict, but the slow negotiation process led to the president becoming more frustrated with both Eastern European leaders. On Thursday, the president brushed off reports that he wanted Putin and Zelensky to meet before he would agree to a summit with the Russian leader.
Zelensky has dismissed a proposal for a territory swap ahead of the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting. Sac 926
