Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his willingness to negotiate land exchanges with Russia, a move that coincided with the release of at least one American prisoner, which US President Donald Trump characterized on Tuesday as a gesture of goodwill aimed at resolving the conflict.
Historically, Zelensky has been firm in his stance against relinquishing any territory following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
However, in an interview with The Guardian released on Tuesday, he indicated that Kyiv is prepared for substantial discussions ahead of a meeting scheduled for Friday at the Munich Security Conference with US Vice President JD Vance, who has been critical of US military aid to Ukraine.
“We will exchange one territory for another,” Zelensky stated, noting his readiness to negotiate land in Russia’s Kursk region, which Ukraine captured during a surprise offensive last year.
He recognized that Ukraine’s security assurances cannot rely solely on European allies.
“Security guarantees without America are not genuine security guarantees,” he remarked.
Trump, who assumed office with the intention of ending the war in Ukraine, may utilize the billions in US aid allocated under former President Joe Biden to encourage Kyiv to make territorial compromises.
In a notable visit by a member of the Trump administration to Russia since his return to the White House last month, envoy Steve Witkoff facilitated the release of Marc Fogel, an American imprisoned since 2021 on drug-related charges.
“We were treated very nicely by Russia,” Trump told reporters regarding Fogel’s release.
“Actually, I hope that’s the beginning of a relationship where we can end that war.”
Trump welcomed Fogel at the White House on Tuesday night after his return to the United States, recalling a meeting with Fogel’s 95-year-old mother at a campaign rally where he assured her he would “get him out.”
The White House characterized his release as part of an “exchange,” with Trump stating on Tuesday night that a second detainee would be freed on Wednesday, though he did not provide additional information.
There was no immediate response from Russia, where state-run news outlets reported on the White House’s announcement.
In December, Russia’s Supreme Court declined to review an appeal filed by Fogel regarding his 14-year sentence.
Witkoff, a real estate developer and associate of Trump, serves as the Middle East envoy and previously played a significant role in advancing a delicate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Trump also revealed that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would visit Ukraine, marking another cabinet member’s engagement in a task separate from their primary responsibilities.
‘Russian Someday’
Earlier in the week, Trump suggested that Ukraine “may be Russian someday,” a statement that was quickly embraced by Moscow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked, “The fact that a significant part of Ukraine wants to become Russia, and has already, is a fact,” referencing Moscow’s 2022 annexation of four Ukrainian regions following referendums that were widely condemned as fraudulent.
Ukrainians expressed disdain for Trump’s comments.
Kyiv resident Daniil described the remarks as “some kind of senile insanity” to AFP.
A Ukrainian soldier in central Kyiv, who identified himself only as Mykola, stated regarding Trump: “He can think anything and say anything, but Ukraine will never be Russia.”
Trump has previously expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has famously supported Putin’s rejection of the US intelligence community’s conclusions regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election that benefited him.
Recently, however, he has urged Russia to seek a compromise, suggesting that Putin should address significant losses.
Both military forces are striving to gain an upper hand on the battlefield in anticipation of potential negotiations.
On Tuesday, Russia’s defense ministry announced the capture of the small village of Yasenove in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
Additionally, a Russian missile strike on Kyiv resulted in at least one fatality, as reported by the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, via Telegram.
In the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, local prosecutors indicated that Russian airstrikes claimed the lives of a 40-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman.
Latest Prisoner Release
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Biden largely severed communication with Moscow.
Nevertheless, intelligence officials and others continued to meet discreetly in third-party countries to negotiate exchanges that resulted in the release of high-profile Americans detained by Russia, including basketball player Britney Griner, journalist Evan Gershkovich, and former Marine Paul Whelan.
Fogel, 63, was arrested in August 2021 while teaching at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, due to the alleged possession of 21 grams of cannabis and cannabis oil at the Moscow airport.
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