As the world watches with cautious anticipation, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a stern warning ahead of the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Scheduled for August 15 in Alaska, this summit will be the first meeting between sitting American and Russian leaders since June 2021. The talks aim to address the protracted conflict in Ukraine, which has gripped global attention since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

President Zelensky’s message is clear and resolute: peace cannot be achieved through decisions made without Ukraine’s involvement. Speaking on social media on August 9, Zelensky stated emphatically, “Decisions without Ukraine will not bring peace.” He ruled out the possibility of ceding any Ukrainian territory to Russia, a position that underscores Kyiv’s steadfast commitment to preserving its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier,” Zelensky said. This declaration comes at a moment when discussions of territorial swaps between the conflicting parties have surfaced, particularly following comments from President Trump suggesting there could be a “swapping of territories to the betterment of both” Ukraine and Russia. However, no detailed plan has been publicly outlined regarding how such swaps might work or which territories might be involved.

Since the war began, the toll on human lives and communities has been staggering. Tens of thousands of people have lost their lives, with countless others wounded. Millions of Ukrainians have been uprooted, becoming refugees or internally........

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