A proposal floated by U.S. President Donald Trump that Ukraine and Russia could exchange territory “to the betterment of both” has been firmly rejected by Kyiv, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressing both the political and legal impossibility of such a move.

Zelenskyy, speaking over the weekend, declared: “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier,” adding that any concession would “reward Russia for what it has done.” Under Ukraine’s constitution, altering the country’s 1991 borders requires a national referendum — meaning neither the president nor parliament can authorize a land swap unilaterally.

Russia’s Current Occupations

Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including most of Luhansk, two-thirds of Donetsk, parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, as well as pockets in Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk. Moscow also holds Crimea, annexed illegally in 2014. Trump claimed on Monday that “some land swapping” was expected, though he acknowledged it could involve “good stuff” and “bad stuff” for both sides.

Security and Strategic Risks

Analysts warn that surrendering the Donetsk region in particular would dismantle Ukraine’s “fortress belt” — its main defensive line since 2014 — and give Russia a stronger position to launch future offensives. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War cautioned that abandoning these areas “with no guarantee that fighting will not resume” would jeopardize national security.

Public Opinion and Political Stakes

Polls indicate Ukrainians might accept freezing the conflict along the current front line, but not ceding territory. Political analyst Ihor Reiterovych described land swap discussions as a distraction, saying, “It is the lesser evil option for everyone and it will not provoke protests.” Even so, such an arrangement would force Ukraine to accept, in practice, that it cannot retake lost territories militarily.

Trump publicly questioned why Zelenskyy needs constitutional approval to give up land but can authorize military action, a remark likely to add strain to the already complex pre-summit atmosphere.