Trump told Zelensky that Ukraine should give Russia unoccupied territories, – NYT

He voiced this opinion personally in a conversation with European leaders.

After meeting with Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump told European leaders , including Volodymyr Zelensky, that he himself supports the idea of handing over unoccupied Ukrainian territories to the Russians in order to achieve peace, The New York Times (NYT) reported, citing two European officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“President Trump (…) told European leaders that he supports a plan to end the war in Ukraine by handing over unconquered territory to Russian occupiers rather than trying to negotiate a cease-fire,” the NYT writes.

President Zelensky and other European leaders involved in the conversation are said to have strongly opposed the cession of unoccupied lands that contain important defensive lines and rich mineral deposits.

According to the NYT, Trump will discuss the plan with the Ukrainian president on Monday at the White House. European leaders have also been invited to join, the newspaper’s sources said.

Trump did not mention any new sanctions against Russia during his conversation with the Europeans, the sources said.

About the only positive thing, according to European officials, was that Putin, according to Trump, seemed to agree to Ukraine’s right to strong security guarantees after the war, albeit not within NATO. Trump reportedly told the Europeans that American troops could also help provide those guarantees.

(C)UNIAN 2025