Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Tuesday for a “fair” end to the war with Russia without “rewards” for Vladimir Putin, pushing back against demands for Kyiv to make territorial concessions.
“We all want this war to end in a fair way – with no rewards for Putin, especially no land,” Zelenskyy said via videoconference at a summit organized by Poland.
The comment came amid reports the United States suggested to freeze the front line and accept the Russian control of the Crimean peninsula, which it seized in 2014, something Zelenskyy balks at.
But US President Donald Trump said Sunday he believed the Ukrainian leader might concede the Black Sea peninsula as part of a settlement.
Russia has also repeatedly demanded to keep the territory in southern and eastern Ukraine that it occupies and for Kyiv to cede even more land.
Moscow holds about 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory after launching its 2022 invasion that has killed thousands of people and devastated swathes of land.
Washington has said that this week will be “critical” for peace efforts.
Zelenskyy also suggested on Tuesday that Russia was “preparing something” in Belarus this summer, using military drills as an excuse.
“This summer Russia is preparing something there, under cover of military exercises,” Zelenskyy said, without giving details or citing evidence. Russia and Belarus have announced joint military drills for September.
