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By Sonam Sheth
Evening Politics Editor
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President Donald Trump on Friday said there will be "swapping of territories" between Russia and Ukraine as part of a deal to bring an end to Moscow's long-running invasion of the neighboring country.
Why It Matters
Trump's comments come as he prepares for a high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin over bringing an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. The summit will take place on August 15 and cap weeks of intensified pressure from the Trump administration for Russia to agree to the terms of a ceasefire proposal. The president has accused Putin of being disingenuous and throwing "a lot of bulls***" at the U.S.
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Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, also had a meeting with Putin in recent days, which took place against the backdrop of public pressure from the U.S. and the threat of new sanctions and tariffs aimed at countries buying Russian oil.
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What To Know
Asked Friday whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country was invaded by Russia in 2022, will have to give up territory as part of a peace deal, Trump responded: "Well, you're looking at territory that's been fought over for 3 1/2 years ... you know, a lot of Russians have died. A lot of Ukrainians have died."
"So we're looking at that, but we're actually looking to get some back," the president added. "Some swapping. It's complicated ... but we're going to get some back, we're going to get some switched. There'll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both, but we'll be talking about that either later or tomorrow."
Analysts, including some close to the Kremlin, have suggested that Russia could offer to give up territory it controls outside of the four regions it says it annexed.
Trump's announcement on Friday about a meeting with Putin came as the Kremlin's bigger army slowly advances deeper into Ukraine at great cost in troops and armor while it relentlessly bombards Ukrainian cities. Russia and Ukraine are also far apart on their terms for peace and Ukrainian soldiers on the battlefield have expressed little hope for a diplomatic solution to the war.
What People Are Saying
Trump said of Zelensky: "He has to get all of his, everything he needs, because he's going to have to get ready to sign something. And I think he is working hard to get that done."
Buda, a Ukrainian commander of a drone unit in the Spartan Brigade, told the Associated Press he doesn't think Russia is interested in peace, adding: "It is impossible to negotiate with them. The only option is to defeat them. I would like them to agree and for all this to stop, but Russia will not agree to that. It does not want to negotiate. So the only option is to defeat them."
A howitzer commander with the call sign Warsaw in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region, told the AP: "We are on our land, we have no way out. So we stand our ground, we have no choice."
What Happens Next
Trump announced on Friday night that he and Putin will meet on August 15 in Alaska.
Update 8/8/25, 9:57 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and context.
The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.
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