Trump Says Land Is at Stake as Ukraine, Russia, and US Prepare Talks

If no agreement is signed, Ukraine will ultimately lose even more territory. This grim forecast was voiced by US President Donald Trump while speaking to journalists.

"I thought that Vladimir Putin wanted to take everything entirely. Maybe that is so, but he will not go there if we make a deal.”

— Donald Trump, President of the United States

Trump on Readiness for a Deal

At the same time, the American leader said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to make a deal. According to Trump, the parameters of a possible agreement to resolve the conflict in Ukraine are already known and have been discussed for more than six months.

Trump also expressed confidence that Putin wants to reach a settlement as well.

Meetings in Davos and Planned Talks

On January 22, Zelensky and Trump held talks on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The meeting lasted one hour. Zelensky later announced that a meeting involving Russia and the United States is planned in the United Arab Emirates.

According to him, the trilateral meeting is scheduled for January 23 and will last two days.

"I think that at the trilateral meetings we may show each other different options. This is all about the east of our country. This is a question of land.”

He emphasized that no final decisions on this issue have yet been made.

Trump has also acknowledged how complex the issue of territorial delineation is. "There are streets, there are rivers… locations, borders,” the US president said.

Growing Support for Territorial Concessions

Many Ukrainians agree on the need for territorial concessions, according to The New York Times. The newspaper cited Kyiv-based lawyer Vladimir Dorodko, who noted that "many people are tired.”

Dorodko said that Ukrainians want a peace agreement even at the cost of territorial concessions. The number of supporters of such a decision has grown after widespread power outages across Ukraine caused by massive Russian strikes.

Meanwhile, Die Welt journalist Steffen Schwarzkopf, citing an "extremely influential” Ukrainian lawmaker, reported that members of the Verkhovna Rada are ready to abandon claims to Donbass by making concessions to Russia.

"She said: "Yes, we must compromise, even if it is very painful. And yes, we must give up Donbass.'”