Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly ruled out ceding control of the Donbas region to Russia, warning that such a concession would leave Ukraine vulnerable to further attacks. Speaking ahead of Friday’s planned meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Zelensky said surrendering territory would give Moscow a “bridgehead” for future offensives.
The Donbas comprising the Luhansk and Donetsk regions has been partially occupied by Russia since 2014. Moscow currently controls nearly all of Luhansk and around 70% of Donetsk. Despite growing international speculation about a possible territorial compromise, Zelensky stressed that Ukraine’s constitution requires a referendum for any changes to national borders, and reiterated his stance that Ukrainians would not “gift their land to the occupier.”
His comments come as Russian forces make fresh gains on the battlefield, including a sudden advance of about 10km near the eastern town of Dobropillia. While acknowledging that the offensive succeeded “in several spots,” Zelensky insisted Ukrainian forces would soon destroy the units involved. He suggested the push was partly aimed at shaping the narrative ahead of Putin’s meeting with Trump, projecting an image of Russian momentum.
Trump recently suggested that “some swapping of territories” could be part of a peace deal a remark that raised alarm in Kyiv and among European allies, who fear that any agreement allowing Russia to keep captured land would legitimize territorial conquest by force. The White House has described the upcoming Alaska talks as a “listening exercise,” downplaying expectations of a breakthrough, while Trump himself has called it a “feel-out meeting.”
Ukraine, notably, has not been invited to the summit. Zelensky voiced frustration at being sidelined, calling Alaska’s selection as the venue a “personal victory” for Putin, as it marks a return to high-level U.S. engagement for the Russian leader. He warned that any decisions reached without Kyiv’s participation would be “dead decisions.”
On Wednesday, Zelensky is set to join a virtual meeting with Trump, European Union leaders, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to urge a united stance against Russian demands ahead of Friday’s high-stakes talks.
