NYT writes that Zelensky's words about the territories could "anger Trump"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has strongly rejected US President Donald Trump's proposal to include a "territory swap" in a peace deal with Russia, a move that could displease Trump, who sees concluding a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia as one of his top foreign policy goals, even if it requires accepting conditions unfavourable to Kiev, The New York Times reported.

Earlier, Trump criticised Ukraine for "overly harsh demands" for a ceasefire and said the country was "not ready for peace". Now the US leader has noted that "some territories will have to be swapped and returned", emphasising that "an exchange of territories for the benefit of both sides" is envisaged.

Zelensky's position reflects the widespread opinion in Ukraine that territorial concessions for the sake of ending the war are unacceptable," the newspaper said.

According to a recent poll by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology, more than half of Ukrainians believe that "under no circumstances should land be ceded, even if it prolongs the war and jeopardises the country's independence".

At the same time, support for territorial concessions grew after Ukraine's failed counter-offensive in 2023, which showed the difficulties in regaining significant territories. Some 38 per cent of the population now consider such a move acceptable, up from just 10 per cent two years ago.

Nevertheless, the uncertainty of Trump's proposal as to which territories could be exchanged caused strong emotional resistance among many Ukrainians," the newspaper emphasises.