Fox News host Jesse Watters has faced criticism after suggesting that Ukraine should surrender a significant portion of its territory to Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that 'borders change all the time'. During a discussion about President Donald Trump's diplomatic summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Watters cited historical border changes in Germany and the United States as justification for Ukraine accepting territorial losses.
Watters stated: 'How are you gonna get Vladimir Putin to relinquish the land he won in battle? The United States won lands in battle. We didn't just give it back. No country gives back land they win in battle.' He added that Ukraine must 'accept reality' and that Democrats are failing to do so. He referenced Germany's shifting borders from the Prussian Empire to the modern reunified state as an example of why Ukraine should make concessions.
Russia has demanded that Ukraine formally cede control of Crimea and the Donbas region, areas under Russian occupation since 2014. Trump has suggested Zelensky could end the war quickly by accepting that Crimea is lost, but Zelensky has repeatedly rejected this, arguing that ceding territory in 2014 only encouraged Russia's 2022 invasion. Monday's summit was reportedly more successful than their previous meeting, with both leaders agreeing to participate in trilateral peace talks with Russia.
Other Fox News commentators offered mixed reactions. Chief political analyst Brit Hume described the summit as an 'impressive display' of US-European unity but noted that Russia has rejected any peacekeeping force in Ukraine, suggesting a final deal remains distant. Critics have pointed out the irony in Watters' argument, noting that the US acquired its borders through conquest and also relinquished territories like the Philippines.
