Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reaffirmed that Ukraine will not cede any territory to Russia, just days before a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on 15 August to discuss the war’s future.

The statement came after Trump suggested that “some swapping of territories” could help end the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. While offering no specific details, Trump said such a deal could benefit both sides given the years of fighting and heavy casualties.

Zelensky, posting on Telegram, declared that “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier” and stressed that Ukraine must be part of any peace agreement.

He warned that any deal made without Ukraine’s involvement would be “a solution against peace.”