Trump Says Final Decision For Land Swaps Rests On Kyiv: ‘I’m Not Here To Negotiate For Ukraine’

President Donald Trump said on Friday, before meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, that he would discuss potential land swaps between Russia and Ukraine, but that the ultimate decision on agreeing to such a deal rests on Ukraine.

While en route to Alaska for the summit, Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he’s not negotiating for Kyiv, adding that Ukraine must make its own decision on swapping territory with Russia.

“I’ve gotta let Ukraine make that decision, but I think they’ll make a proper decision,” Trump said. “I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them to the table.”

“Look, Vladimir Putin wanted to take all of Ukraine,” he added. “If I wasn’t president, he would right now be taking all of Ukraine, but he’s not going to do it.”

The president is scheduled to sit down with Putin at 3:00 p.m. ET as Trump seeks to guide Russia and Ukraine toward a ceasefire agreement. Trump told reporters that he’s hoping a ceasefire will be agreed upon “rapidly,” adding, “I don’t know if it’s going to be today, but I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today.”

“Everyone said it can’t be today, but I’m just saying I want the killing to stop. I’m in this to stop the killing,” the president said.

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Potential land swaps between Russia and Ukraine were suggested by Trump last week. Russian forces have largely taken control of Ukraine’s eastern region while Ukrainian forces continue to fight back. Putin reportedly told Trump envoy Steve Witkoff last week that he would end the war against Ukraine in exchange for the region in eastern Ukraine known as the Donbas.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is excluded from the Trump-Putin summit, suggested last weekend that he’s opposed to a land swap deal with Russia.

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“Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier,” Zelensky said, adding, “Any decisions made against us, any decisions made without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace. They will bring nothing. These are dead decisions; they will never work.”

Trump criticized Zelensky over his comments, saying that he disagrees “very, very severely” and “was a little bothered” by Zelensky’s pushback. Trump believes that a land swap would benefit both Ukraine and Russia. The Kremlin expects the Trump-Putin talks to last between six and seven hours on Friday, adding that the Russian side “expects” the meeting to “end productively.”

If the talks are productive, Trump and Putin are expected to conclude the summit with a joint press conference, but Trump said that he would “head back home real fast” if the meeting doesn’t go well.