ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said that he plans to offer a territorial exchange to Moscow if US President Donald Trump manages to organize negotiations with Russia.

In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, Zelenskyy said that his country could give up territory it has controlled in Russia’s border region of Kursk, where Kyiv launched an incursion just over six months ago, in exchange for Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine.

"We will swap one territory for another," Zelenskyy was quoted as saying.

However, he did not specify which Russian-controlled territory of Ukraine they would seek in return, adding: "All our territories are important, there is no priority."

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed on Telegram that Zelenskyy's remarks aim to "hide the true scale of the catastrophe" for Ukraine's military in Kursk.

Kyiv's incursion into the Kursk region began on the night of Aug. 5-6, 2024, when Ukrainian forces entered near the town of Sudzha, approximately 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the border.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the incursion as a “large-scale provocation” and an act of “indiscriminate shooting,” characterizing it as a “terrorist attack.”

In response, Zelenskyy confirmed that the incursion aimed to create a “buffer zone” to protect against cross-border attacks from Russia.  

Support for Ukraine

Zelenskyy also commented on further support for Ukraine, arguing that Europe would be unable to fill the gap should Trump withdraw US support for Kyiv.

“There are voices saying Europe can offer security guarantees without the Americans, and I always say no. Security guarantees without America are not real security guarantees,” he said.

The Ukrainian president reiterated he was ready to negotiate with Russia from a “position of strength,” adding that he would offer lucrative reconstruction contracts and investment concessions to American companies in order to get Trump's support.

Zelenskyy highlighted the importance of continued US military assistance for Ukraine, saying that only US-made Patriot air defense systems can defend the country against "all kinds of missiles."

He also acknowledged the impact of the recent freeze on US aid programs but stressed that maintaining military support remains Kyiv’s priority.

Commenting on Trump's recent proposal that Ukraine should provide the US with its rare earth minerals in exchange for continued support for Kyiv, Zelenskyy said he pitched the idea to him during talks in New York in September 2024.