Zelenskyy reiterates his refusal to cede territory to Russia while seeking support in Europe

Rome — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed his firm refusal to cede any territory, resisting pressure from the United States to make painful concessions to Russia as he sought more European support for his country on Tuesday. “Without a doubt, Russia insists that we cede territories. Clearly, we don’t want to give up anything. That’s what we’re fighting for,” Zelenskyy said in a WhatsApp chat on Monday night, in which he answered questions from journalists. “”Shall we consider ceding territory? According to the law, we have no such right,” he declared. “According to the law of Ukraine, our Constitution, international laws, and to be frank, we also have no moral right.” In an interview with Politico published on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump again pressured Zelenskyy to accept the U.S. proposal for Ukraine to cede territory, arguing that Moscow maintains the “advantage” after nearly four years of invasion, and that Zelenskyy’s government must “play the game”. Zelenskyy met in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to discuss the progress of the peace process, his office reported. They emphasized the importance of unity between the United States and Europe and of solutions “that will have repercussions on the security of the continent,” according to a statement. They also discussed “the development of solid security guarantees to prevent future aggression and maintain pressure on Russia to join the negotiating table in good faith,” he pointed out. Zelenskyy previously met with Pope Leo XIV in Castel Gandolfo, a papal residence outside Rome. The Vatican said that Leo reiterated the need to continue dialogue and “expressed his urgent desire that current diplomatic initiatives achieve a just and lasting peace.” The Holy See has tried to remain neutral in the war while offering solidarity and assistance to what it calls the “martyred” people of Ukraine. Leon, who has already met three times with Zelenskyy and has spoken by phone at least once with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has called for a ceasefire and has urged Moscow in particular to give signals to promote peace. Zelenskyy held talks on Monday in London with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to strengthen Ukraine’s position in the face of Trump’s growing impatience. Under pressure from Trump American and Ukrainian negotiators concluded on Saturday with three days of talks aimed at narrowing differences on the US government’s peace proposal. An important point of friction in the plan is the suggestion that Kiev should cede control of the Donbas region to Russia, which illegally occupies most of that territory, but not all of it. Ukraine and its European allies firmly reject the idea of handing over territory. “You know, a lot of people are dying,” Trump told Politico, claiming that other unidentified Ukrainian officials agree with the US government. “His lieutenants, his top people, liked it, but they said he hasn’t read it yet.” Outside of Zelenskyy’s comments on Monday, Ukrainian negotiators have not said much publicly about the content of the US proposal or their position on it. Speaking again with journalists via WhatsApp, Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that three documents are being discussed with American and European partners: a 20-point framework document that is constantly changing, a document on security guarantees, and a document on the recovery of Ukraine. Zelenskyy added that Ukraine will deliver its updated proposal to the United States on Wednesday. Russia, Trump reasoned, remains too powerful for Ukraine to continue fighting. “I give the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian Army tremendous credit for, you know, bravery and for the fight, and for all that,” he emphasized, “But, you know, at some point, size usually wins.” Trump also reiterated his calls for Ukraine to hold national elections, despite martial law not allowing it, and Zelenskyy, elected in 2019, extended his five-year term due to the war. Trump’s position on the lack of elections in Ukraine reflects Putin’s frequent statements on the matter. In response to Trump’s comments, Zelenskyy asked the United States and possibly Europe for help “to ensure the security of the elections and then Ukraine will be ready to hold elections in the next 60-90 days.” Putin on Tuesday reiterated his claim that the Donbas is a “historical territory” of Russia and vowed to fulfill his war objectives. “We will certainly bring it to its logical conclusion,” he explained.

Europeans Support Ukraine

Starmer, Macron, and Merz strongly supported Kyiv. The British leader said on Monday that the push for peace was at a “critical stage,” and underlined the need for a “just and lasting ceasefire.” Merz, for his part, said he remained “skeptical” about some details in the documents published by the United States. “We have to talk about it. That’s why we’re here,” he said. “The next few days… could be a decisive moment for all of us.” European leaders are working to ensure that any ceasefire is backed by solid security guarantees from both Europe and the United States to deter Russia from attacking again. Trump has not given explicit guarantees in public. Zelenskyy and his European allies have repeatedly accused Putin of slowing down the talks to advance with the invasion.

Russia and Ukraine exchange air strikes

The Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia fired 110 drones of various types across the country last night. Air defenses neutralized 84 drones and another 24 hit their targets, it noted. Several regions of Ukraine faced emergency blackouts on Tuesday due to Russia’s previous attacks on energy infrastructure, according to Ukraine’s national energy operator, Ukrenergo. The United Nations’ Deputy Humanitarian Chief, Joyce Msuya, highlighted on Tuesday that only 65% of the $278 million required to fund a winter response plan in Ukraine has been received, which has forced cuts in services such as cash assistance, heating support, mental health care, and protection for women and girls. This means that families face freezing temperatures without heating, women and girls lose access to “safe spaces” and the elderly in areas along the front line are left without means to evacuate, she noted in statements to the UN Security Council. The UK Ministry of Defence said that a member of the British army died on Tuesday from his injuries after suffering an accident while observing Ukrainian troops conducting a test of a defensive system far from the front lines, becoming the first British soldier to die in Ukraine during the war. It is unknown at this time what role he played or where the incident occurred. The UK army has said that a small number of personnel are in Ukraine to protect British diplomats and support Ukrainian troops. Ukraine, for its part, continued its drone attacks in Russia. Russian air defenses destroyed 121 Ukrainian drones overnight over several Russian regions and occupied Crimea, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday. In Chuvashia, a region about 900 kilometers (approximately 560 miles) northeast of the border with Ukraine, the attack damaged residential buildings and injured nine people, local governor Oleg Nikolayev said in an online statement. The Security Service of Ukraine carried out a drone attack on a liquefied gas terminal in the port of Temryuk in the Russian region of Krasnodar on December 5, according to an official with knowledge of the operation who spoke to The Associated Press. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, said the attack caused a large fire at the facility. More than 20 liquefied petroleum gas storage tanks caught fire and burned for more than three days, he said.