NYT: Zelensky's Denial Of 'land Swap' Could Draw Trump's Ire

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The proposal has struck a nerve with many Ukrainians.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has strongly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion that a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia could include "an exchange of some territories."

But Zelensky's outright rejection risks angering Trump, who has made concluding a peace treaty between Ukraine and Russia a key goal of his foreign policy even if it means accepting terms unfavorable to Kiev, writes The New York Times.

The territories issue in the context of a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine

Trump has previously criticized Ukraine for what he said was clinging to overly stringent cease-fire demands and "not ready for peace." Now the American leader has said that "some of the territories will have to be swapped and returned."

"There will be an exchange of territories for the benefit of both sides," he emphasized.

Zelensky's position, in turn, reflects the widespread opinion in Ukraine that it is unacceptable to surrender territories for the sake of ending the war, the media said. According to a recent poll by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology, just over half of Ukrainians believe that "under no circumstances" should the country cede land, "even if it prolongs the war and jeopardizes the preservation of independence."

But support for territorial concessions has grown since Ukraine's failed counteroffensive in 2023, which showed the impossibility of regaining significant territory. Some 38% of the population now believe such a move is acceptable, up from just 10% two years ago.

Till then, Trump's proposal, which does not specify which territories could be exchanged, has struck a nerve with many Ukrainians.

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NYT: Zelensky's Denial Of 'land Swap' Could Draw Trump's Ire

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