Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky firmly rejected any suggestion that Ukraine would cede territory to Russia, following the announcement of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting, scheduled for August 15 in Alaska, aims to address the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, now entering its third year.

Zelensky stressed that any agreement reached without Ukraine’s direct involvement would be invalid. “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier,” he declared, adding that peace must be “dignified” and not dictated by foreign powers. His remarks were a direct response to speculation that territorial concessions might be part of a deal between Washington and Moscow.

Trump sparked controversy on Friday by suggesting that the summit might involve “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” Ukraine and Russia. This comment provoked immediate backlash from Kyiv and European leaders, who warned that bypassing Ukraine in any negotiations could damage prospects for a sustainable peace.

In May, hopes for progress rose when a three-way summit between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky was floated, with Istanbul considered as a possible location. Zelensky expressed his willingness to meet Putin face-to-face for the first time since the 2022 invasion, but the Kremlin did not confirm whether Putin would attend such a meeting.

Trump, while on a diplomatic trip in the Middle East, said he might adjust his schedule to attend the Alaska summit if there was a chance to end the conflict. Following a meeting with Zelensky in April during Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome, Zelensky described their talk as “symbolic” and possibly “historic” if it leads to a lasting peace.