Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has again ruled out ceding territory to Russia, telling reporters he has no legal or moral authority to give up land as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes Kyiv to accept a territorial compromise. Speaking via WhatsApp late Monday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine will not surrender any territory under its constitution or international law.
Trump, in a Politico interview, argued that Russia “still holds the upper hand” and pressed Kyiv to “play ball” by handing over the Donbas region. He also renewed his demand that Ukraine hold national elections despite martial law, saying that without a vote, “it’s not a democracy anymore.”
Zelenskyy is on a diplomatic push across Europe, meeting Pope Leo XIV and later Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The Vatican reiterated the need for “a just and lasting peace,” while maintaining neutrality in the conflict.
European leaders have publicly backed Kyiv’s refusal to trade land for peace. Starmer called the moment “critical,” Macron insisted on a ceasefire grounded in security guarantees, and Merz warned he remained “skeptical” about key aspects of Washington’s proposal.
U.S. and Ukrainian delegations wrapped up three days of negotiations on Saturday but remain divided over Washington’s demand that Kyiv ultimately cede Russian-occupied territory. Trump has oscillated between criticizing the cost of U.S. support and urging Ukraine to strike a deal with Moscow.
Zelenskyy confirmed that the latest U.S. proposal has been trimmed from 28 to 20 points, saying several “obviously anti-Ukrainian” provisions were removed. He also warned that Putin continues to use battlefield pressure to influence the talks as Russia advances incrementally and intensifies missile and drone strikes.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported over 110 Russian drones launched overnight, with 84 intercepted. Emergency blackouts continue after repeated strikes on energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia said it downed 121 Ukrainian drones, including strikes reaching deep inside its territory. A Ukrainian attack on an LPG terminal in Krasnodar set more than 20 fuel tanks ablaze, burning for three days.
With both countries trading aerial attacks, European capitals are pushing to lock in long-term security guarantees—something Trump has not publicly committed to.
Zelenskyy acknowledged Trump “wants to end the war,” but emphasized that Ukraine “lives the consequences every day.” Until Russia ends its occupation, he said, territorial concessions remain off the table.
