Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tore into a reported peace proposal from Donald Trump that Ukraine give up territory to Russia in order to end the war.
“If the deal is that we just give up our territories, and that’s the idea behind it, then it’s a very primitive idea,” Zelensky told Axel Springer media outlets. “I don’t need a fantastic idea, I need a real idea, because people’s lives are at stake.”
Trump has privately told associates that he believes he could end the war in Ukraine by convincing Ukrainian officials to cede territory to Moscow, The Washington Post reported. The plan would reportedly include giving Russia the Donbas region as well as Crimea, the peninsula Russia illegally annexed in 2014.
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The plan is a nonstarter for Kyiv, according to top Ukrainian officials. One Ukrainian official—Tamila Tasheva, the top Ukrainian official in charge of Crimea—told The Daily Beast Trump’s reported plan will only encourage him in his territorial ambitions.
“It’s crucial to recognize that any retreats made by Ukraine at this point could potentially fuel future escalations. It's weakness, rather than the capability to resist, that emboldens Russia's actions,” Tasheva told The Daily Beast. “After a period of recovery, Russia may launch a large-scale offensive against Ukraine with renewed strength, as it already was in 2022.”
“The global response to the occupation of Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014 was not enough, ultimately paving the way for further Russian aggression against Ukraine,” Tasheva added.
Zelensky said he had invited Trump to visit Ukraine through liaisons, but that Trump had not moved forward on any planning yet.
The Trump campaign has insinuated that the reporting on Trump’s plan for Ukraine may be inaccurate, but declined to address the plan directly.
“Any speculation about President Trump’s plan is coming from unnamed and uninformed sources who have no idea what is going on or what will happen,” campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt previously said.
The Ukrainian goal of defending its territory remains steadfast, in spite of Trump’s reported goals for giving Russia Ukrainian territory.
“Sociological research shows that the Ukrainian nation will not accept compromises, especially in territorial integrity of Ukraine. Retreating means betrayal of those who look forward to deoccupation, who believe and wait for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Tasheva told The Daily Beast.
“It is essential to reaffirm Ukraine's unwavering position: the restoration of territorial integrity remains an absolute priority,” Tasheva added.
