In a direct message to world leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made it clear: any "decisions without Ukraine" will not bring lasting peace with Russia. As U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepare to meet in Alaska on August 15, Zelenskyy insists that Kyiv must sit at the table or risk undermining any peace deal.
"Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier," Zelenskyy wrote on social media, emphasizing that talks about Ukraine's future cannot happen without Ukrainian input. He warned that decisions made without his country's participation are decisions "against peace" itself.
So far, three rounds of direct negotiations this year have failed to bridge the divide between Kyiv and Moscow. While Trump teased the possibility of "swapping territories to the betterment of both" nations, no details have emerged—raising questions about what a fair land exchange might even look like.
Since Joe Biden’s Geneva meeting with Putin in June 2021, no sitting U.S. president has sat down with the Russian leader. Trump and Putin last met in person at the 2019 G20 summit in Japan, though they've spoken by phone several times this year.
With tensions running high and millions of lives impacted by the ongoing conflict, Zelenskyy is calling for a "dignified peace"—one that protects Ukraine's sovereignty and includes all key stakeholders. "The war cannot be ended without us, without Ukraine," he stressed.
As the world watches the Alaska summit, the key question remains: Will Trump and Putin heed Kyiv's call for inclusion, or will they risk making decisions that "achieve nothing" for peace?
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Zelenskyy warns on 'decisions without Ukraine' before Trump-Putin meet
cgtn.com
