In an intensifying diplomatic standoff, U.S. President Donald Trump has markedly increased pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider territorial concessions as a framework for ending the war with Russia. Following a summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 16, 2025, Trump relayed that a potential peace deal would require Ukraine to give up not only its NATO aspirations but also cede the Crimea and the entire Donbas region to Moscow—proposals that mirror longstanding Kremlin demands. European leaders, including Germany’s Friedrich Merz and France’s Emmanuel Macron, joined Zelensky in Washington on August 18 in hopes of coordinating a unified Western approach, as Trump floated yet-undefined “security guarantees” for Ukraine in lieu of NATO membership. Zelensky remains adamant in refusing any land swaps, citing Ukraine’s constitution and public opposition, and warned that past territorial concessions, such as the loss of Crimea in 2014, only emboldened further Russian aggression. The meetings yielded no breakthrough, with allies voicing concern that Trump’s stance may undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and tilt the diplomatic playing field toward Moscow, leaving Zelensky facing a complex calculus between maintaining Western support and defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity.