Ukraine's leadership has issued a defiant response to Vladimir Putin's latest territorial demands, with President Volodymyr Zelensky's top aide declaring that Ukraine will never cede land to Russia as long as Zelensky remains in office.
Defiant Stance From Kyiv
In a powerful statement to The Atlantic magazine, Andriy Yermak, Ukraine's chief negotiator and head of the presidential office, delivered an uncompromising message about Kyiv's position on territorial integrity. "Not a single sane person today would sign a document to give up territory," Yermak stated emphatically.
The comments came after a week of intensive discussions with US officials about potential pathways to end the nearly four-year conflict. Yermak sought to reassure Washington that Kyiv remains ready for peace negotiations but made absolutely clear that regions like Donbas are completely off the table in any discussions.
"As long as Zelensky is president, no one should count on us giving up territory," Yermak emphasised, adding that the Ukrainian leader "will not sign away territory" to the Russian invasion forces.
Putin's Maximalist Demands
The Ukrainian official's strong words came in direct response to statements made by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Kyrgyzstan on Thursday. Putin insisted that Ukraine must withdraw from territories currently claimed by Russia and surrender additional land for any peace agreement to be possible.
In what analysts described as a repeat of his maximalist demands, the Russian leader claimed that Moscow's forces have the initiative on the battlefield and warned that hostilities would only cease if Ukrainian troops withdraw from the entire Donbas region, comprising Luhansk and Donetsk.
"If they don't withdraw, we'll achieve this by force of arms," Putin threatened, while simultaneously accusing Ukraine of wanting to fight "to the last Ukrainian" - a charge he said Russia was "in principle" also prepared to do.
Diplomatic Movements and Security Guarantees
The escalating rhetoric comes as Ukrainian and US delegations prepare to meet later this week to discuss security guarantees within a potential peace framework, following earlier talks in Geneva.
Interestingly, Putin described a 28-point peace plan presented by US President Donald Trump as a "basis for future agreements," while maintaining his hardline position on territorial concessions. "We need to sit down and discuss this seriously," Putin told reporters, noting that "every word matters" in such delicate negotiations.
Meanwhile, European diplomatic complications emerged as Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever warned that the EU's plan to use frozen Russian assets could potentially derail peace prospects. In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, De Wever cautioned that "hastily moving forward on the proposed reparations loan scheme would have, as collateral damage, that we as EU are effectively preventing reaching an eventual peace deal."
The European Commission is expected to address Belgium's concerns in a draft legal proposal this week regarding the use of approximately €140 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine in 2026 and 2027.
As diplomatic manoeuvring intensifies, the battlefield situation remains critical, with Putin claiming Russian forces have surrounded the strategic city of Pokrovsk and control 70% of it - though Ukrainian military officials insist their defenders are pushing back vigorously in fierce urban combat.
