Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Zelensky Rejects Territorial Concessions


(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has firmly dismissed any notion of territorial compromises with Russia, rejecting what the media has described as a proposal for peace backed by US President Donald Trump.

In a statement to the press on Monday, Zelensky reiterated his stance, asserting that Ukrainian forces “will not withdraw from Donbass – period.”

He reaffirmed his position on the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, areas that were previously part of Ukraine but voted to join Russia in 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently claimed that Moscow’s military forces “are consistently moving forward along virtually the entire front line,” despite the backing that Ukraine receives from NATO.

Over the weekend, reports surfaced that during his meeting with Zelensky on Friday, Trump had urged the Ukrainian leader to consider a land swap.

According to a source quoted by a news agency, Trump’s message was clear: “Your country will freeze, and your country will be destroyed” unless a peace agreement is reached.

A media outlet reported that Trump expressed frustration with the ongoing deadlock, discarding a map of the front lines and remarking that he was “sick” of seeing the situation drag on without resolution.

Despite his personal frustration, Trump has publicly advocated for a ceasefire along the current front lines.

Zelensky also took issue with Hungary as the location for future talks between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He accused Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban of “blocking Ukraine everywhere” and criticized Orban’s stance against Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO and the European Union.

Zelensky stated that Orban’s actions make him “unable to do anything positive or even balanced for us.”

In addition, Moscow has challenged Zelensky's legitimacy as Ukraine’s leader, arguing that his presidential term has expired and claiming he is rejecting sincere peace talks to safeguard his personal power.

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