Zelensky Rejects Ceding Ukrainian Territory, Insists Kyiv Must Join Peace Talks

August 9, 2025 MTIMES 45 Views Alaska Summit, Diplomacy, International Relations, Kyiv, Putin, Russia, Trump, Ukraine conflict, Ukraine peace talks, Ukrainian territorial integrity, war in Ukraine, Zelenskyy 2 min read

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected any proposal to cede Ukrainian land to Russia, stressing that Kyiv must be directly involved in all peace negotiations. Speaking on Saturday, Zelensky criticized the planned summit between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, set for next Friday in Alaska, warning that any peace deal without Ukraine’s participation would be a “dead solution.”

In a statement on Telegram, Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine’s territorial integrity, protected under its constitution, is non-negotiable. He vowed that “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier” and that Russia will not be rewarded for its actions.

Why Zelenskyy Rejects Ceding Ukrainian Territory in Any Peace Agreement

The upcoming Putin-Trump meeting has sparked concerns in Kyiv that Ukraine and European allies could be sidelined. “Any solutions without Ukraine are solutions against peace,” Zelensky declared, warning they would fail to end the conflict.

While some Ukrainian officials have privately acknowledged the difficulty of regaining all lost territory militarily, Zelensky rejects ceding Ukrainian territory as part of any formal settlement. The Alaska meeting is being viewed as a potential diplomatic breakthrough after weeks of limited progress in halting the fighting.

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