Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the planned summit between US President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning that any peace deal excluding Kyiv would lead to "dead solutions."
According to AP, in a statement posted to Telegram, Zelenskyy said Ukraine's territorial integrity, enshrined in its constitution, must be non-negotiable and emphasized that lasting peace must include Ukraine's voice at the table.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine "will not give Russia any awards for what it has done" and that "Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier."
Touching on Ukrainian anxieties that a direct meeting between Trump and Putin could marginalize Kyiv and European interests, Zelenskyy said, "Any decisions that are without Ukraine are at the same time decisions against peace. They will not bring anything. These are dead decisions. They will never work."
Trump and Putin are planning to meet in Alaska on Friday, August 15, a summit that is seen as a potential breakthrough.
A senior White House official told CBS News that planning for the summit is fluid and it is still possible that Zelenskyy could end up being involved in some way.
Two sources told CBS News Saturday that Trump is willing to do a trilateral meeting with Zelenskyy and Putin. The sources noted that at the moment, however, the meeting remains bilateral, which was the format requested by Putin.
