- President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine will not cede territory and that the answer to the “territorial question” is already set in Ukraine’s Constitution, in an address published Aug. 9, 2025 by the Presidential Office of Ukraine.
- He responded to President Trump’s announced preparations for a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, saying any deal “without Ukraine” would be stillborn.
- Zelensky said Kyiv is ready to work “with President Trump and all partners” on a genuine, durable peace that does not reward aggression.
The Big Picture
In a nationally broadcast address on Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s red line: the country’s borders and territorial integrity are not up for trade. He said Ukraine’s Constitution already provides the answer to any “territorial question” and stressed that no Ukrainian leader can deviate from it. The comments came after President Donald Trump announced preparations for an Aug. 15 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, a summit billed as a step toward possible talks to end the war, according to the Presidential Office of Ukraine.
What’s New
Zelensky framed the moment as a test of principle. He argued that the war “can’t be ended without us, without Ukraine,” and warned that decisions made over Ukrainians’ heads “will not achieve anything.” At the same time, he said Kyiv is prepared to work “together with President Trump” and international partners to pursue a “real and, most importantly, lasting peace” — one that won’t collapse at Moscow’s whim. Reports from Reuters and the Associated Press echoed his message that land-for-peace proposals remain unacceptable and unworkable without Kyiv’s consent.
What They’re Saying
In his address, Zelensky stressed that Ukraine’s position is firmly grounded in law and national will.
“The answer to the Ukrainian territorial question already is in the Constitution of Ukraine. No one will deviate from this — and no one will be able to. Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier.”Zelensky credited Ukrainians’ resolve — “Ukrainians defend what’s theirs” — and said many global partners have stood with Kyiv during the war. He added that even those aligned with Moscow “know that Russia is doing evil” and stressed that Ukraine “will not reward Russia for what it has perpetrated.”
What’s Next
The Alaska meeting places renewed pressure on all sides to define what a credible pathway to peace could look like. Zelensky’s terms remain consistent: Russia started the war and must end it; Ukraine’s sovereignty and borders are protected by its Constitution; and any agreement must include Ukraine at the table. Whether the summit produces steps toward a ceasefire — or sharpens differences over territory — will hinge on whether proposals respect those lines.
The Bottom Line
Zelensky’s message was blunt but open-ended: Ukraine won’t give up land, but it is ready to engage in serious diplomacy that leads to a durable peace. Any plan forged “without Ukraine,” he said, is dead on arrival.
Kremlin confirms Trump–Putin summit set for Aug. 15 in Alaska
Trump team tests European response to proposed Ukraine ceasefire
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