Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in a video message Monday night that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “definitely not preparing for a ceasefire or an end to the war.” He added, “There is no indication whatsoever that the Russians have received signals to prepare for a post-war situation.” According to Zelenskyy, Russia is instead “redeploying their troops and forces in ways that suggest preparations for new offensive operations.”
On the southern front, Ukraine’s military spokesperson, Vladyslav Voloshyn, told Reuters that Russia was moving military units in the Zaporizhia region for future assaults. Zelenskyy also warned on Monday that any concessions to Russia would not persuade it to stop fighting. He wrote on X, “Russia refuses to stop the killings, and therefore, must not receive any rewards or benefits,” adding that “concessions do not persuade a killer.”
These warnings precede a scheduled meeting between President Donald Trump and Putin in Alaska. The warnings also follow Trump’s assertion that Ukraine would have to cede land to end the conflict, a proposition Kyiv has consistently rejected. At a news conference, Trump said, “There’ll be some land swapping going on. I know that through Russia and through conversations with everybody; to the good, for the good of Ukraine.”
International Leaders Emphasize Ukraine’s Right to Self-Determination
In a Tuesday statement, 26 European leaders emphasized “the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny.” The statement, endorsed by all EU members except Hungary, stressed that a “just and lasting peace” must uphold international law, including the principles of independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. It also noted that meaningful negotiations require a ceasefire and that a diplomatic solution “must protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.”
Similarly, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have stated that any peace deal for Ukraine must involve Kyiv and not be imposed upon it. A spokesperson for Starmer said, “Both leaders underscored that Ukraine’s future must be one of freedom, sovereignty, and self-determination.” Zelenskyy also mentioned his conversation with Carney, where he told him that “the Russians simply want to buy time, not end the war.”
The U.S.-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), concluded in a recent report that Moscow is not preparing the Russian public to accept “a settlement short of a full victory in Ukraine.” The ISW’s assessment is based on the “lack of change in public Kremlin messaging, in combination with ongoing speculation that Putin is looking to ‘outplay’ the West.” European leaders and Zelenskyy are planning to speak with Trump before his meeting with Putin, amid growing fears that the U.S. may pressure Ukraine into unfavorable peace terms.
