Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected any suggestion of giving up Ukrainian land in exchange for peace, just hours after Washington and Moscow confirmed a rare high-profile meeting aimed at ending the ongoing war.

The much-anticipated summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is set for August 15 in Alaska — the U.S. state closest to Russia. According to the Kremlin, the talks will focus on a “long-term peaceful settlement” to the three-year conflict.

Trump hinted on Friday at the possibility of “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” Ukraine and Russia but did not go into details. Zelensky responded swiftly and strongly on social media:

“Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier. Any decisions against us, without us, are also decisions against peace. They will achieve nothing.”

The Ukrainian leader stressed that Kyiv is ready for genuine peace talks — but only if they are “dignified” and involve Ukraine directly.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the war has displaced over 10 million people and claimed tens of thousands of lives.

 Several negotiation attempts this year have failed, with Putin refusing to meet Zelensky face-to-face and Ukraine insisting on having a seat at any final deal.

The Alaska meeting will mark the first time a sitting U.S. president meets with a Russian president since Joe Biden’s 2021 meeting with Putin in Geneva. The choice of location, the Kremlin says, is “logical” due to its geographical closeness to Russia and shared interests in the Arctic.

Putin has also spoken recently with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both of whom have proposed their own peace plans — though none have gained traction. Meanwhile, tensions remain high as fighting continues along Ukraine’s 1,000-kilometer frontline.

On Saturday, Ukraine reported a Russian strike on a bus carrying civilians in Kherson, killing two and injuring six, alongside overnight drone attacks on both sides.

As the Alaska summit approaches, the world watches closely — but Zelensky’s message is clear: peace cannot come at the cost of Ukraine’s land.