Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated that Kyiv will not surrender any territory to Russia, even as U.S. President Donald Trump presses Ukraine to respond to his latest draft peace proposal.
Trump, speaking to Politico, said Zelensky had not yet reviewed the updated plan, adding, “It would be nice if he would read it.”
‘We Don’t Have The Right To Give Up Anything,’ Zelensky Says
Addressing growing international speculation about possible concessions, Zelensky made it clear that Ukraine will not accept any deal requiring land losses. “Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories. We, clearly, don’t want to give up anything,” he said. “That’s what we are fighting for.”
He emphasised that Ukrainian law, and the country’s constitution, explicitly prohibits ceding land. “Do we consider ceding any territories? According to the law we don’t have such right,” Zelensky told the Associated Press. He added that international law supports Ukraine’s stance and stressed the moral weight of the decision: “To be frank, we don’t have a moral right either.”
Trump Envoys Give Ukraine ‘Days’ To Respond
According to the Financial Times, Trump’s advisers have given Zelensky only a few days to respond to the proposed deal, which reportedly requires Ukraine to accept territorial losses in exchange for U.S. security assurances. Trump has also argued that Russia currently holds the “upper hand” in the war, the AP reported.
Zelensky Meets European Leaders Amid Diplomatic Push
Amid the pressure surrounding Trump’s proposal, Zelensky is traveling across Europe for high-level talks aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s international support. In Rome, he met Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni to discuss the state of the peace process, according to a statement from her office.
Both leaders focused on building “robust security guarantees to prevent future aggression” and maintaining pressure on Moscow to negotiate “in good faith,” the statement said.
The meeting followed a series of discussions in London with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as reported by the AP.