‘Everyone can clearly see Putin’s tactics’: Zelenskyy says Russia trying to ‘legalise occupation’; vows t
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has strongly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s current tactics regarding the war in Ukraine, accusing him of trying to “legalise the occupation” of Ukrainian territories. Zelenskyy stated that Putin is attempting to legitimize the occupation through calls for peace negotiations that would ultimately grant Russia territorial gains in exchange for a pause in the fighting. He described this as an effort to “exchange a pause in the war, in the killings, for the legalisation of the occupation of our land,” warning that it is a repeat of Russia’s previous annexation of Crimea and could lead to further divisions of Ukraine if not opposed.
Zelenskyy made clear that Ukraine would not tolerate a “second attempt to partition” the country, declaring that Ukrainians “will not gift their land to the occupier.” He emphasized that peace must come through the end of Russian aggression and a “dignified peace, based on a clear and reliable security architecture,” rather than any territorial concessions to Russia.
The Ukrainian leader’s remarks come ahead of a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, where speculation has arisen about possible land swaps or territorial adjustments as part of a peace deal. Zelenskyy insisted that any decisions made without Ukrainian involvement would be “decisions against peace” and would ultimately “never work,” reiterating that only a “real, lasting peace”—not a mere “pause”—is acceptable for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy categorically rejected any proposals that would reward Russia with Ukrainian territory, vowing to block any attempt to formalize the occupation or to divide Ukraine further through international negotiations.
