As Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed optimism about stopping hostilities amid Friday's summit with President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the necessity of Ukraine's participation in the talks.
Halyna Yanchenko, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, told Scripps News it is important for Ukraine to maintain its "red lines" in negotiations, particularly regarding land. Yanchenko strongly opposed any discussions about trading Ukrainian land, arguing that it involves people and families, not just territory.
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President Trump has suggested that Ukraine might be forced to concede some territory in order to get Russia to agree to a ceasefire. Zelenskyy has said his nation would not agree to any such deal.
"This is simply insane," Yanchenko said. "And that's why this kind of position communicated by Putin, it seems that he is talking about that just in order to, you know, to throw out some bull—— so these negotiations will never end. That's the kind of impression we have in Ukraine."
She added, "We are not giving voluntarily away any lands."
President Trump has said that if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire, he could impose additional sanctions on Russia. This is something Yanchensko believes President Trump can use to his advantage on behalf of Ukraine.
"I really hope that President Trump will communicate that he has these tools and he will actually name them," she said. "I do believe in secondary sanctions. I do believe that probably this is not only the most powerful tool that the U.S. has, but also an ugly tool that can force Putin to stop."
President Trump, however, told reporters on Friday that he is not negotiating on Ukraine's behalf.
"I'm here to get them at a table. And I think you have two sides. Look, Vladimir Putin wanted to take all of Ukraine. If I wasn't president, he would, right now, be taking all of Ukraine, but he's not going to do it," President Trump said.
Yanchensko suggested that in Ukraine, there’s a mix of hope for peace and caution based on past experiences. She said citizens are feeling exhausted by the ongoing war and unwilling to accept temporary solutions that benefit Putin.
It's why she is pushing for long-term solutions that bring a lasting peace to the region.
"And that's why it's very important for us to understand that the end of the war or peace or whatever negotiations, they will ensure that this peace will be fair and lasting," she said.
