Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that US President Donald Trump is exerting undue pressure on Ukraine to make concessions in peace negotiations with Russia, warning that Ukrainians would never accept surrendering more territory. In an interview with Axios, Zelenskyy said it was “not fair" that Trump had repeatedly called on Ukraine, rather than Russia, to make compromises.
“I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision," Zelenskyy said, referring to Trump’s public statements urging Kyiv to move quickly toward a deal. Trump had earlier said Ukraine needed to negotiate “fast," as diplomatic efforts continued alongside talks involving Russian, Ukrainian and US officials in Geneva.
Zelenskyy suggested it might be easier politically for Washington to pressure Kyiv than Moscow but stressed he would not easily give in.
According to a BBC report, hopes for a breakthrough during the latest round of US-Ukraine-Russia talks are low, as the Kremlin has not wavered from its maximalist demands for Ukrainian territory.
The Ukrainian leader said any proposal requiring Ukraine to give up additional territory in the eastern Donbas region would be firmly rejected by voters. “Emotionally, people will never forgive this. Never. They will not forgive… me, they will not forgive (the United States)," Zelenskyy said.
He added that Ukrainians “can’t understand why" they would be asked to surrender land beyond areas already occupied by Russian forces.
