Home World Zelensky throws cold water on hopes that Trump can reach a peace deal with Putin, saying Ukraine will NEVER recognize the occupied territories as Russian.

Zelensky throws cold water on hopes that Trump can reach a peace deal with Putin, saying Ukraine will NEVER recognize the occupied territories as Russian.

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Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted that Ukraine will never recognize the occupied Ukrainian territories as part of Russia.

Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted that Ukraine will never recognize the occupied Ukrainian territories as part of Russia, even if its allies pressure him to do so, dashing hopes that Donald Trump can achieve a peace deal.

‘No matter what anyone wants, even if all the allies in the world joined together, we will never recognize the occupied territories (as part of Russia). This is impossible,” stressed the Ukrainian president.

‘We will not recognize them legally. For us, they will always remain occupied territories until we liberate them.”

Trump, who took office for a second term on Monday and was last in power before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has repeatedly said he could end the war quickly, without specifying how.

His new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said Tuesday that ending the war was a priority for the president, but that it would only be possible if both sides made significant concessions.

“Any time you end a conflict between two parties, neither of which can achieve their ultimate goals, each side will have to give up something,” he told CNN, adding that the decision would ultimately fall to the Ukrainians and Russians. .

It comes after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said today that Moscow sees a small window of opportunity to forge agreements with the new US administration.

“We cannot say anything today about the degree of negotiation capacity of the incoming administration, but still, compared to the hopelessness in all aspects of the previous head of the White House (Joe Biden), today there is a window of opportunity, even if it is small, Riabkov said, according to Interfax.

Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted that Ukraine will never recognize the occupied Ukrainian territories as part of Russia.

Donald Trump, who took office for a second term on Monday, has said he could end the war quickly, without specifying how.

Donald Trump, who took office for a second term on Monday, has said he could end the war quickly, without specifying how.

A Russian soldier fires a self-propelled gun.

A Russian soldier fires a “Malka” self-propelled gun at Ukrainian positions in an undisclosed location in Ukraine.

“So it’s important to understand what and who we’re going to have to deal with, how best to build relationships with Washington, how best to maximize opportunities and minimize risks,” he said, speaking at the Institute of American and Canadian Studies, an institution of thought. tank in Moscow.

Trump warned Tuesday that he would likely impose more sanctions on Russia if President Vladimir Putin refused to negotiate to end the nearly three-year conflict.

He gave no details on possible additional sanctions on Russia, which is already under significant Western sanctions over the war.

The new president also dealt a blow to the Kremlin on Tuesday, accusing Putin of “destroying Russia” with his failed war and urging him to “come to a deal” to end the conflict.

‘You have to reach an agreement. “I think you are destroying Russia by not reaching a deal,” Trump said in a harsh warning to the dictator.

“I think Russia is going to be in big trouble,” he added, saying Putin “can’t be delighted that it’s not doing so well.”

“I mean, he works hard, but most people thought the war would be over in about a week, and now it’s been three years, right?”

The Russian economy was collapsing, he continued, and inflation was a major threat.

Putin, 72, previously said he was willing to talk with Trump, but still insisted on an outcome that favored Russia.

‘We are open to dialogue with the new US administration on the Ukrainian conflict. The most important thing here is to eliminate the root causes of the crisis,’ said the Russian leader. Moscow is expected to make an initial phone call soon.

Trump said Zelensky was ready for a deal to stop the debilitating conflict, and the 78-year-old US leader said he planned to meet Putin with whom he had a “great relationship” during his first term.

‘We are going to try to do it as quickly as possible. You know, the war between Russia and Ukraine should never have started.

Trump warned Tuesday that he would likely impose more sanctions on Russia if President Vladimir Putin refused to negotiate to end the nearly three-year conflict.

Trump warned Tuesday that he would likely impose more sanctions on Russia if President Vladimir Putin refused to negotiate to end the nearly three-year conflict.

After months of Ukraine occupying parts of Russia’s Kursk region in order to improve its position in the event of talks, Zelensky stated that any dialogue could only take place with kyiv in a position of strength.

‘Putin cannot be treated as legitimate in this situation. He has violated everything. “You must understand your transgression,” the Ukrainian president said today, adding that if Putin were “approached as an equal, it would be a loss for Ukraine.”

But, he said, his government’s top priority was finding a way to stop the war, which has claimed the lives of at least 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers, according to figures released by Ukraine in December.

‘We must find all possible ways to end the hot phase of the war. “This is issue number one,” Zelensky said.

‘There may be many conversations, but the main objective is to stop the active phase. This is the first guarantee of security.”

Russia has occupied Crimea since its invasion of the territory in 2014. Months later it seized much of the Donbas region, launching an uprising under the guise of a separatist uprising.

Since the large-scale invasion in 2022, Russian forces have controlled large areas of southern and eastern Ukraine.

Meanwhile, since a surprise attack in August, kyiv forces occupy around 600 square kilometers of Russian territory.

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