Stand With Ukraine

July 5, 2026

WWDN

🇺🇦🇷🇺 Ukraine’s Kyrylo Budanov reaffirmed that Ukrainians will never accept territorial concessions, stressing that all occupied lands remain temporarily occupied and will eventually be liberated. He said Ukraine’s greatest strength is its unity, resilience, and determination to fight for its future.

That’s consistent with what Kyrylo Budanov has been saying publicly.

Budanov’s stated position on territory:
■ No concessions: He’s repeatedly called himself a “maximum opponent” of giving up any Ukrainian territory for peace. At the Kyiv Security Forum he said “No one in Ukraine will ever accept the loss of Ukrainian territory” and “Nobody in Ukraine would agree to lose even an inch of territory”.
■ Occupied lands are temporary: He’s stated that “All occupied regions remain temporarily seized and will be liberated in time”. In interviews he’s said “We have no option but to get back what was occupied”.
■ Goal is 1991 borders: He’s noted that Ukraine should return to the borders of 1991, including Crimea, and that other options wouldn’t ensure lasting peace.
■ Compromise defined: Budanov described compromise as “when both are upset,” but emphasized he’s “fundamentally against giving anything to anyone”.

Budanov ties Ukraine’s ability to resist to unity and military strength. He’s argued that the Ukrainian military is the sole force deterring Russian aggression, and that after 12+ years of war, Russia has failed to fully occupy a single oblast, which he points to as evidence of resilience. He’s also stressed that battlefield technology and strength are key to negotiations: “If we are strong, it will give us maneuver… If we are weak, conditions will dictate to us”.

This stance lines up with President Zelenskyy’s too — he’s also rejected ceding territory, saying “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier” and “There is nothing to talk about — it is our land”.

Budanov has framed it as non-negotiable: for Ukraine, there is no “off-ramp” short of full territorial restoration. 🇷🇺🇺🇦

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🇺🇦🇷🇺🇺🇸 Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov announced early Sunday that a nearly 90-minute phone conversation took place between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Saturday, July 4, during which Trump proposed collaborating on a resolution to the Ukraine war.

The call was Saturday, U.S. Independence Day, ahead of Trump’s planned participation at the NATO summit in Turkey next week. The American president once again confirmed his readiness to work towards a rapid end to the fighting and find solutions to overcome the crisis”.

Trump said envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would keep trying to broker a settlement and were prepared to make another visit to Moscow. Ushakov said Russia seeks “a political-diplomatic resolution of the conflict, with due account of Russia’s fundamental approach”.

Putin told Trump that Russian forces are “confidently advancing” and claimed the capture of Kostiantynivka. Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Ukraine’s General Staff rejected the Kostiantynivka claim, saying Kyiv still controls the city.
Zelenskiy also spoke to Trump
Zelenskiy said Saturday that he had a “very good” conversation with Trump about the front line and called for “American resolve” to help end the war. He said they agreed to continue discussions at the NATO summit in Turkey. 🇺🇸🇷🇺🇺🇦

Comment from :

Albert de Beer

Here we go again, trump interference to slow Ukraine on putin’s request.

Carol Coleman

Albert de Beer : exactly. If trump kept his nose out of the negotiations, russia would have to come to the table which would save a lot of ukranian civilian lives. Trump is prolonging the war to get his nobel peace prize and any deals he can garner for his family business.

Merv Gragg

I have to admit, as a conservative who voted for Donald Trump, I was deeply disappointed and ashamed of his and his vice president’s insulting remarks towards Mr Zelenskyy in the White House.
To say that Mr Zelenskyy “Didn’t have the cards” was exceptionally insulting and demeaning.
I’m certain that it bothered Mr Zelenskyy to hear those words but he took it in stride.
That’s because he’s a better man than Donald Trump can ever hope to be. He was sitting on a “Pat hand”, way ahead of Mr Trump and his sidekick and didn’t let it show.
I have been and will always be a strong supporter of the Ukrainian people and their desire to live free.
I offer my personal apology to Mr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people for the abhorrent behavior of a man that I am supposed to respect.
I am elated to see the successful responses against Mr Putin, a mass murderer, and his unprofessional, ill trained military and pray for the day when the Russians who support Vladimir Putin are driven out of the country, forced to pay reparations and the children they have kidnapped returned to their homes and families.
Slava Ukraini.

Harry Wakerley

More BS, Putin can end the war by pulling his troops out of Ukraine so simple.

Chip Taylor

There is a pattern. The idiot talks to Putin……. Putin bombs Ukraine.
If the idiot wants to help Ukraine then SHUT UP!

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Founder of this site :

Stephen Hoffman
@thehoff1990

I am a British Iraqi Jew who believes we must help Ukraine win against russian imperialism. I run my own consultancy and also work on numerous pro-Ukraine initiatives. All views in my Substack are solely my own or solely those of the guest poster

https://substack.com/@thehoff1990

Four Years of Resistance: Ukrainians speak out

The voices of Ukrainians are heard loudly and clearly, to mark the four year anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

STEPHEN HOFFMAN

FEB 25, 2026

https://thehoff1990.substack.com/p/four-years-of-resistance-ukrainians?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true