Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Vladimir Putin is preparing for “new offensive operations” in Ukraine rather than a ceasefire, just days before the Russian leader meets U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska for high-stakes talks. Citing intelligence and military reports, Zelenskyy said Moscow’s troop movements suggest an escalation, not peace, and accused Putin of seeking to use the summit to claim a symbolic victory while continuing the war unchanged.

Intelligence Points to Escalation

“There is no indication whatsoever that the Russians have received signals to prepare for a post-war situation,” Zelenskyy said in a late-night video address. “On the contrary, they are redeploying their troops and forces in ways that suggest preparations for new offensive operations.”

Ukraine’s military reported that Russian units in the Zaporizhia region are repositioning for further assaults. Zelenskyy also warned that any concessions to Moscow would “not persuade it to stop fighting,” adding: “Concessions do not persuade a killer.”

Trump’s “Land Swap” Remarks Stir Concern

The warning comes after Trump told reporters that ending the war would involve “some land swapping,” an idea Kyiv has firmly rejected as unconstitutional. Trump said he would know “probably in the first two minutes” of meeting Putin whether a deal was possible and suggested a future three-way meeting could include Zelenskyy.

European leaders, wary of being sidelined, issued a joint statement underscoring Ukraine’s “inherent right” to choose its own destiny and rejecting any change to international borders by force.

Allies Push Back Against Imposed Settlement

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney both stressed that any peace deal must be agreed with Kyiv’s full participation. Zelenskyy told Carney that Russia’s battlefield actions and continued strikes on civilian targets prove Moscow’s goal is to “buy time, not end the war.”

The Institute for the Study of War echoed this assessment, noting there has been “no change in Kremlin messaging” and warning that Putin may be seeking to “outplay the West” in upcoming negotiations.