The "Legitimate Interests" in Russia's Retaining Ukrainian Territory

"It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up."

"I think President Putin will make peace. I think President Zelensky will make peace. We'll see if they can get along." 

"I think Putin is tired of it. I think they're all tired of it. But you never know. We're going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks. That I can tell you." 

U.S. President Donald Trump

 

"We, of course, respect the position of the American administration, which sees the need for a speedy end to military actions."

"We would like to move to resolving all issues by peaceful means."

Russian President Vladimir Putin 

 

"We are ready for any format."

"But when it comes to high-level meetings, it is necessary to prepare them in the most thorough way at all previous stages, so that the summits do not lead to a worsening of the situation, but rather mark the end of the negotiations that we are ready to continue."

"We cannot accept the proposal to address security and collective security issues without Russia's involvement. This will not work. We have repeatedly explained that Russia does not exaggerate its interests, but we will firmly and decisively protect our legitimate interests."  

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov  

Still from video  CNN

 

President Trump, in the wake of his Alaska meeting with Vladimir Putin appears to have changed his mind over a ceasefire; it is no longer the critical issue of the moment; he leaps now to the issue of a complete peace agreement to finally end the conflict in Ukraine. Putin, explained Trump in talks with European allies, reiterated his determination to retain Donetsk and Luhansk, the regions that distinguish the Donbas. In exchange for clear agreement to formally transfer the Donbas to Moscow, he is prepared to discuss the disposition of Saporizhzhia and Kherson, and a front line freeze.

 

Needless to say, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has entirely other plans for the Donbas. Little clarity surfaced in the aftermath of the Alaska summit with respect to follow-up steps, leaving President Trump's commitment to additional meetings the only focal point for the present. The briefings given European officials on the exchanges left a vacuum whether Trump viewed Putin's Donbas demands as acceptable.

 

A public summary of the situation has yet to be issued, other than Trump's abrupt reversal on a ceasefire. With no ceasefire on the table, of course Russia's attacks on Ukraine continue unrestrained. And while those attacks continue, it remains to be seen how peace talks could conceivably be undertaken. Under those circumstances, with Ukraine being incessantly bombed, any such 'peace' talks would be construed as Kyiv surrendering to Moscow's ultimatums.

 

It seems obvious to the European coalition supporting Ukraine's position that it would not surrender one metre of Ukrainian territory to the Russian beast; that Trump and his push for further negotiations reveals a certain level of sympathy for the Russian position which is that Moscow has no interest in a temporary truce but is adamant that a long-term settlement must be reached that respects the Kremlin's interests.

 

Sergei Lavrov (left) with Putin. Moscow’s view is that: ‘To discuss security guarantees seriously without Russia is a road to nowhere.’ Photograph: Sean Gallup/EPA

 

"Russia seems to be prepared to conduct the negotiations based on the so-called line of contact and not the administrative boundaries", noted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. President Zelensky's previous refusals to withdraw from the 30 percent of the Donetsk region under Ukrainian control is firm. Surrendering any Ukrainian territory is unthinkable and contrary to Ukraine's constitution. Besides which the territory could be meant as a Russian staging ground for ongoing attacks.

 

Major European leaders overlooked addressing whether a peace agreement was preferable to a ceasefire, stating instead that they "welcomed President Trump's efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia's war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace". This is the way that every nation retains a working relationship with the Trump administration; outwardly praising the president's initiative, while privately groaning in frustration.

 

A lesson hard learned in obsequiousness, Zelenskyy stated he had enjoyed a "long and substantive" conversation with Trump, that they would "discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war" in their subsequent Monday meeting, and they did do that, to a degree. However, the scoring ball remains in Putin's court; clearly Trump feels that Ukraine should be prepared to sacrifice part of its territory to suit Putin's imperative.

 

The while, Zelenskyy took the opportunity to reiterate the importance of European leaders' involvement "to ensure reliable security guarantees together with America". 

 

Territory swaps weren't discussed during Monday's session, according to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. "We have not discussed that today (August 18), because everybody is clear, including the president, that when it comes to territory, that is the Ukrainian president, who has discussed this in the trilateral and then probably more conversations after that, with the Russian leadership."

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with President Donald Trump and European leaders in the East Room of the White House in Washington, August 18, 2025.

Ukrainian Press Service/AFP via Getty Images