Zelenskyy Backs Trump’s Immediate Ceasefire Push, Rejects Putin’s Territorial Demands

The Big Picture

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed strong support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, emphasizing that any delay risks legitimizing Russia’s territorial occupation. In a statement posted on X, Zelenskyy said he had “not heard any partners express doubts about America’s ability” to secure a just end to the war, adding that Ukraine had supported all of Trump’s proposals since February.

“What is needed now is not a pause in the killings, but a real, lasting peace… not a ceasefire sometime in the future, in months, but immediately,” he wrote, noting that Trump had personally told him he shared this goal.

What’s New

Zelenskyy accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of seeking to trade a temporary halt in fighting for international recognition of Moscow’s control over occupied Ukrainian territories. He warned that allowing Russia to keep any seized land—such as Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, or areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia—would pave the way for further aggression.

He recalled that the 2014 annexation of Crimea, without strong international penalties, led directly to the 2022 full-scale invasion. “Where there is a second, there will be a third,” he cautioned.

What They’re Saying

What’s Next

The Ukrainian leader said he had coordinated with multiple European heads of state and government—including those of Finland, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom—as well as U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, to ensure a “shared vision” for peace. He stressed that any agreement must be reached “together with Ukraine” and center on three key outcomes: a ceasefire, an end to occupation, and a definitive end to the war.

Meetings among security officials from the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Finland, and Poland were described as constructive, with Zelenskyy calling for “maximum coordination” among allies to counter what he called Russia’s unrealistic demands.

The Bottom Line

Zelenskyy’s remarks signal strong alignment with Trump’s timetable for ending hostilities but also draw a red line against territorial concessions to Moscow. His appeal frames the coming weeks as pivotal for shaping a peace plan that protects Ukraine’s sovereignty while avoiding what he described as a repeat of past strategic mistakes.

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