Reactions in Ukraine, ranged from deep skepticism to reluctant acceptance on Sunday after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested a peace plan that could involve Ukraine ceding some territory to Russia. The idea, floated ahead of Trump’s planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska next Friday, has stirred strong emotions in a country that has endured over three years of war.
Mixed Emotions Among Citizens
Trump’s remarks about a potential “swapping of territories” have struck a nerve in Ukraine. For many, the thought of giving up land is painful, yet the ongoing toll of the conflict makes peace even at a steep price, tempting for some.
Anastasia Yemelianova, 31, voiced her inner conflict. “As a person who loves her country, I don’t want to compromise within myself,” she told the Associated Press. “But seeing all these deaths and knowing that my mother is now living in Nikopol under shelling and my father is fighting, I want all this to end as soon as possible.”
Others, like Svitlana Dobrynska, have drawn a firm line against concessions but favor a ceasefire to save lives. The 57-year-old, whose son was killed in combat, said, “We don’t have the opportunity to launch an offensive to recapture our territories. But to prevent people from dying, we can simply stop military operations, sign some kind of agreement, but not give up our territories.”
For some, like 67-year-old Ihor Usatenko, compromise is possible under conditions. “I would consider ceding territory on condition for compensation and, possibly, some reparations,” he said.
Zelenskyy Rejects Exclusion from Peace Talks
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the upcoming Trump-Putin summit as irrelevant to Ukraine’s future unless Kyiv is directly involved. Warning of what he called “dead solutions,” Zelenskyy stressed that any agreement reached without Ukraine’s participation would be unacceptable.
“The fate of our country cannot be decided behind closed doors in another country,” he said in a televised statement.
The Stakes of the Alaska Summit
The meeting between Trump and Putin is scheduled to take place next Friday in Alaska. While some see it as a potential diplomatic breakthrough in a war that has claimed thousands of lives, others fear it could sideline Ukraine and force unwanted compromises.
The war, now in its fourth year, has displaced millions, devastated infrastructure, and strained Ukraine’s economy. The possibility of a peace deal involving territorial concessions is a divisive topic that cuts to the core of national identity and sovereignty.
A Country at a Crossroads
As Ukraine watches events unfold, the tension between ending the bloodshed and preserving territorial integrity is defining public debate. For many, the cost of peace remains uncertain and the path to it unclear.
Whether next week’s summit will bring meaningful progress or deepen existing divides remains to be seen. For now, Ukraine’s leaders and citizens alike brace for the outcome, knowing that the stakes could not be higher.
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