President Donald Trump made clear Friday that while land swaps between Russia and Ukraine may be part of the discussion at his Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin, the ultimate decision rests with Kyiv, not Washington.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One before the high-stakes meeting, Trump stressed that his role is to bring both sides to the table, not dictate Ukraine’s choices. “I’ve gotta let Ukraine make that decision, but I think they’ll make a proper decision,” Trump said. “I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them to the table.”
Trump emphasized that Russia’s ambitions would have gone unchecked under different leadership. “Look, Vladimir Putin wanted to take all of Ukraine,” he said. “If I wasn’t president, he would right now be taking all of Ukraine, but he’s not going to do it.”
The president is scheduled to meet Putin at 3:00 p.m. ET, with hopes of brokering a ceasefire “rapidly.” He told reporters, “I don’t know if it’s going to be today, but I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today. Everyone said it can’t be today, but I’m just saying I want the killing to stop. I’m in this to stop the killing.”
The land swap concept emerged last week, when Trump revealed that Putin had floated the idea of ending the war in exchange for Ukrainian territory in the Donbas. Trump envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly received that offer directly from the Kremlin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, has flatly rejected any arrangement that cedes territory. “Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier,” Zelensky said. “Any decisions made without Ukraine are decisions against peace. They will never work.”
Trump criticized Zelensky for that stance, saying he disagrees “very, very severely” and was “a little bothered” by the Ukrainian leader’s pushback. The president has argued that a land swap could offer both nations a path toward ending years of bloodshed.
The Kremlin has indicated that Friday’s summit may run six to seven hours, with both sides expecting a “productive” outcome. If progress is made, Trump and Putin are expected to appear together at a joint press conference. But the president also made clear he has no patience for stalling. “If it doesn’t go well,” Trump warned, “I’ll head back home real fast.”
The post Trump Says Final Decision For Land Swaps Rests On Kyiv: ‘I’m Not Here To Negotiate For Ukraine’ appeared first on Real News Now.
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