Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out any deal that would see Ukraine cede control of the Donbas region to Russia, ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Trump has indicated that any peace deal might involve “some swapping of territories,” and it is believed that one of Putin’s demands could be that Kyiv surrenders the parts of Donbas it still controls.

Speaking on Tuesday, Zelensky warned that giving up Donbas now would create a bridgehead for Russian forces to prepare new attacks. “If we withdraw from the Donbas today, our fortifications, our terrain, the heights we control we will clearly open a bridgehead for the Russians,” he said.

Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine’s constitution requires a referendum before any changes to national territory, and said Ukrainians would never “gift their land to the occupier.”

He also highlighted ongoing Russian advances, admitting that Moscow’s troops had recently made gains near Dobropillia, but insisting that Ukrainian forces would soon counter the attacks.

The Ukrainian leader suggested that Russia’s moves were partly aimed at creating a favorable narrative ahead of the Trump-Putin summit, making it appear as though Moscow was advancing while Ukraine was losing.

He also warned of potential new offensives in Zaporizhzhia, Pokrovsk, and Novopavlov areas.

Kyiv has expressed concerns about being excluded from the summit, with Zelensky describing the Alaska location as a “personal victory” for Putin and stressing that any decisions made without Ukraine’s involvement would be “dead decisions.”

The White House has described the meeting as a “listening exercise,” aiming to give Trump a better understanding of how to end the war. While Trump has expressed cautious optimism about potential progress, Zelensky remains skeptical about a positive outcome for Ukraine if the country is sidelined.

Russia currently occupies nearly all of Luhansk, about 70% of Donetsk, and just under 20% of Ukrainian territory overall, making the Donbas a critical front in the ongoing conflict.