Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv will not give up any land that Moscow’s troops do not currently occupy as part of a peace deal, pushing back against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands.
NOW – Zelensky says Ukraine’s constitution makes giving up land “impossible,” and should only be discussed at a trilateral meeting; if Russia “refuses,” more sanctions “must” be imposed. pic.twitter.com/7wicKa5erW
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 17, 2025
Putin’s Demands at Alaska Summit
During his summit with President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday, Putin demanded that Ukraine withdraw all its forces from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
While Russia controls large areas across both provinces, Ukraine has held onto major cities like Sloviansk and Kramatorsk — despite years of heavy fighting.
“Russia is still unsuccessful in the Donetsk region,” Zelensky said. “Putin has been unable to take it for 12 years, and the Constitution of Ukraine makes it impossible to give up territory or trade land.”
Kyiv’s Red Line
Speaking in Brussels ahead of his meeting with Trump on Monday, Zelensky insisted that talks should start along the current front lines:
“We need real negotiations, which means they can start where the front line is now. The contact line is the best line for talking.”
He added that since territorial issues are paramount, they should only be discussed directly between Ukraine and Russia within a trilateral format involving the U.S.
Security Guarantees Still Unclear
Zelensky also said he wants clarity on the “security guarantees” Trump’s team discussed with Putin. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, suggested that the U.S. and Europe could provide Ukraine with assurances akin to NATO’s Article 5 pledge.
But Putin has repeatedly rejected Ukraine’s NATO membership and has not clarified what concessions Moscow might make.
“We really want to get an answer to these questions in order to understand what ‘security guarantees’ are,” Zelensky said.
