Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said Ukraine must decide its own security guarantees and will not accept Russia dictating terms; proposals to cap the size of Ukrainian forces or to require Ukrainian neutrality are off the table. He said territorial issues are a red line that can only be negotiated at leaders’ level, and that the United States has long proposed territorial exchanges—referred to as "land swaps"—though other proposals remain open for discussion.

2026-10-26

Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said Ukraine must decide its own security guarantees and will not accept Russia dictating terms; proposals to cap the size of Ukrainian forces or to require Ukrainian neutrality are off the table. He said territorial issues are a red line that can only be negotiated at leaders’ level, and that the United States has long proposed territorial exchanges—referred to as "land swaps"—though other proposals remain open for discussion.