The Trump administration’s recent peace proposal for Ukraine appears all but dead. It barely had a chance to begin with.
On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated his government would not agree to any deal that concedes territory. “We clearly don’t want to give up anything,” he reportedly told media members in a WhatsApp chat on Monday. “Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories. According to the law we don’t have such right. According to Ukraine’s law, our constitution, international law, and to be frank, we don’t have a moral right either.”
Zelensky acknowledged that Trump “certainly wants to end the war,” but justified his refusal to concede territory by stating, “We live here, from within we see details and nuances, we perceive everything much deeper, because this is our motherland.”
President Trump commented in an interview that Zelensky must start “accepting things.” He noted Ukraine’s territorial losses: “They lost a whole strip of seafront… I’ve been here for 10 months. But you go back 10 months and take a look, they lost that whole strip.”
Regardless of Ukraine’s stance, Russian forces control most of the territory it refuses to formally hand over. Russia will not relinquish these areas. The Ukrainian army operates with significant manpower shortages and is losing ground daily. Without intervention from other nations— which would lead to a larger war—Ukraine cannot regain lost territories.
Trump’s plan requires Ukraine to formally cede the entire Donbas region and large portions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia territories to Russia. The Kremlin controls most of these areas, but it seeks full control, forcing Ukrainian forces to abandon roughly 14 percent of their current holdings. Some analysts believe Ukrainian forces may refuse orders to withdraw.
Zelensky’s statements came during meetings with European leaders: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. All three have consistently opposed territorial concessions. Each issued statements supporting Ukraine without explicitly mentioning territory.
The Trump administration’s National Security Strategy warns that a prolonged conflict risks regional escalation. It criticizes European governments for unrealistic expectations and democratic shortcomings that impede peace efforts.
Ukraine continues to face Russian aggression with exceptional courage.