Trump claims Ukraine will "get a lot of land" in peace deal with Russia

US President Donald Trump has stated that Ukraine is poised to “get a lot of land” as part of a prospective peace settlement with Russia, reiterating his controversial view that a territorial exchange may be necessary to end the war.

The remarks were made during a recent interview, where Trump also underscored Russia’s military strength and geopolitical weight, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

“Ukraine will get a lifeline, and they’ll get a lot of land! But it’s a war, and Russia is a strong country. Whether people like it or not — it’s a powerful country. It’s much bigger,” Trump said, as reported by US and international media outlets.

The comment marks a continuation of Trump's earlier suggestions that a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv might involve concessions on territory — a proposal that has triggered widespread concern in Ukraine and among its European allies. While Trump asserts that such an agreement would result in Ukraine “regaining part of its territories,” the specifics remain ambiguous.

Media reports have speculated on the outlines of a potential settlement, including an alleged offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to these accounts, Putin has demanded a full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in exchange for freezing the current front lines in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions — effectively solidifying Russian control over parts of eastern Ukraine.

Adding to the confusion, Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, previously suggested that Russia had made concessions regarding five regions. However, his lack of clarity and contradictory statements during media interviews have raised questions about the credibility and coherence of those claims.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly pushed back against any unilateral negotiations on territorial matters. Speaking in Brussels on August 17, Zelenskyy reiterated that “any territorial issues should only be discussed during a trilateral meeting of leaders,” clearly implying that Ukraine would not accept behind-the-scenes agreements or external pressure.

“At present, Moscow is not sending signals that it is ready for such a format,” Zelenskyy added, signaling continued deadlock in the diplomatic arena.

According to various sources, Putin has also allegedly appealed to the United States to officially recognize the occupied Ukrainian territories as part of the Russian Federation. In return, he is said to have proposed a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces from Donbas, coupled with a written guarantee that Russia would not attack Ukraine or Europe in the future.

By Vafa Guliyeva