Zelensky says giving up land for peace could be ‘impossible’ as Trump rages at ‘fake news’ over his showdown with Putin – as Europe’s leaders head to the White House

Volodymyr Zelensky has said giving up land for peace in a future agreement with Russia could be ‘impossible’.

Speaking in Brussels today, the Ukrainian president insisted that his country’s constitution made it ‘impossible to give up territory or trade land’.

But he went on to say: ‘Since the territorial issue is so important, it should be discussed only by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia at a trilateral meeting.’

‘We need real negotiations, which means we can start where the front line is now,’ Zelensky said, adding that European leaders supported this.

It comes as US president Donald Trump appears poised to urge the Ukrainian leader to agree to a Russian land grab of his country’s territory.

Russian president Vladimir Putin is said to have demanded full control of Donetsk and Luhansk – two occupied Ukrainian regions – as a condition for ending the war.

Zelensky was speaking ahead of a virtual meeting with European leaders and before he travels to Washington to meet with Donald Trump following the US leader’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

He reiterated his position that it was necessary to establish a ceasefire in order to then negotiate a final deal.

‘It’s important that Washington is with us,’ the Ukrainian leader said. He will be accompanied by several European allies, including Keir Starmer, for Monday’s talks with Trump.

Zelensky said that Ukraine did not yet know all the demands made by Putin at the meeting with Trump on Friday, adding that it would take a long time to go over them – and that this was not possible under ‘the pressure of weapons’.

Meanwhile, the world is still reeling from Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska, where he rolled out the red carpet for the war-mongering tyrant.

Most international commentators believe the negotiations were a win for Putin, with the media noticing he appeared energetic and satisfied by how the summit had gone.

Trump, on the other hand, appeared uncharacteristically deflated and seemed disheartened that the famed deal-maker was not able to get an agreement together.

But the US President has hit back at his critics, posting on his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday morning: ‘It’s incredible how the Fake News violently distorts the TRUTH when it comes to me. 

‘There is NOTHING I can say or do that would lead them to write or report honestly about me. I had a great meeting in Alaska on Biden’s stupid War, a war that should have never happened!!!’

Only minutes later, he posted: ‘If I got Russia to give up Moscow as part of the Deal, the Fake News, and their PARTNER, the Radical Left Democrats, would say I made a terrible mistake and a very bad deal. 

‘That’s why they are the FAKE NEWS! Also, they should talk about the 6 WARS, etc., I JUST STOPPED!!! MAGA.’ 

It comes as Trump envoy Steve Witkoff gave an interview with CNN where he discussed the issue of territory – and specifically of the five regions he described as always having been the ‘crux of the deal’.

Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 while the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson were annexed after referendums internationally viewed as shams in 2022. 

‘The Russians made some concessions at the table with regard to all five of those regions,’ Witkoff said today.

He added that the Donetsk region constitutes an ‘important discussion’ – and one which he said will happen tomorrow.

The Donbas is predominantly Russian-speaking, and after Russia snatched Crimea in 2014, its proxy forces have gained a foothold there in a long-running war. 

Zelensky, who has rejected Putin’s demands that Kyiv withdraw from the remaining 30 per cent of Donetsk that it still controls, played down the Russian advances, saying on X that his forces were ‘countering’ and ‘increasing the pressure’ on the ‘occupier’.

‘The Russian army continues to suffer significant losses in its attempts to secure more favourable political positions for the Russian leadership at the meeting in Alaska. We understand this plan and are informing our partners about the real situation,’ he said.

Zelensky’s statement comes as negotiations to end the war continue to mount.

Sir Keir Starmer, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, German chancellor Friedrich Merz and France’s Emmanuel Macron will travel to Washington tomorrow for peace talks at the White House. 

Ms Von der Leyen said ‘at the request of President Zelensky, I will join the meeting with President Trump and other European leaders in the White House tomorrow.’

Other European leaders confirming they will go tomorrow included Finnish president Alexander Stubb, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte.

Mr Zelensky’s Oval Office rendezvous follows Western allies holding a ‘coalition of the willing’ video call at 2pm earlier today, hosted by Sir Keir, Mr Macron and Mr Merz.

Mr Trump is said to be inclined to support the plan, and will speak to Mr Zelensky about it when they meet in the Oval Office. 

The European leaders may also fear a repeat of Mr Zelensky’s last visit to the White House at the end of February.

The tumultuous spat resulted in a souring of relations between the US and Ukraine, including a temporary cut off of American aid for the war effort.

Downing Street insisted Sir Keir and other allies stand ready to support the next phase of talks to end the war.

A statement from No 10 said: ‘At the meeting that will take place at the White House tomorrow, the Prime Minister, with other European partners, stands ready to support this next phase of further talks and will reaffirm that his backing for Ukraine will continue as long as it takes.’

Yesterday, Sir Keir commended Mr Trump for bringing the conflict ‘closer than ever’ to an end.

Mr Trump appeared to change his position on how to end the war in Ukraine following his meeting with the Russian president on Friday.

Following the Alaska summit, the American leader suggested he wants to move straight to a full peace deal, rather than negotiating a ceasefire first.

The shift appears to echo the Russians’ refusal to agree to ceasefire before engaging in peace talks.

Meanwhile Zelensky on Sunday rejected the idea of Russia offering his country security guarantees, after US and EU officials promoted the possibility.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff earlier said Trump and his Russian counterpart Putin agreed to ‘robust security guarantees’ for Ukraine during a meeting in Alaska on Friday.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday hailed the proposal as an offer of NATO-style security guarantees from the United States.

‘We welcome President Trump’s willingness to contribute to (NATO) Article 5-like security guarantees for Ukraine, and the coalition of the willing, including the European Union, is ready to do its share,’ von der Leyen said.

Zelensky also welcomed the idea of US security guarantees – but was less positive about Russia’s intentions.

‘What President Trump said about security guarantees is much more important to me than Putin’s thoughts, because Putin will not give any security guarantees,’ he told a press conference in Brussels alongside von der Leyen.

‘Security means a strong army, which only Ukraine can provide. I believe that only Europe can finance this army.’

Von der Leyen and Zelensky also shared their thoughts on a possible meeting between Trump, Putin and the Ukrainian leader.

‘So far, Russia gives no sign that the trilateral will happen and if Russia refuses, then new sanctions must follow,’ Zelensky said.

Von der Leyen had said she wanted to see the three-way meeting happen ‘as soon as possible’.