Breaking News : Zelensky Hits Back at Trump – Calls One-Sided Pressure on Ukraine “Not Fair” Amid Intense Peace Talks!
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky didn’t hold back in a new exclusive interview, slamming U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated public demands for Ukraine to make concessions in ending the war with Russia while Moscow faces far less visible pressure.
“It is not fair that [Trump] kept publicly calling on Ukraine, not Russia, to make concessions for peace,” Zelensky told Axios. He added pointedly: “I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision.”
Zelensky acknowledged it might be “easier” for Trump to lean on the smaller Ukraine than the much larger Russia, but insisted true lasting peace can’t come from simply “giving victory” to Vladimir Putin.
He also stressed that Ukrainians would overwhelmingly reject any deal forcing unilateral territorial losses in the Donbas region especially ceding land Russia doesn’t yet fully control and warned the public “will never forgive” such a move, whether toward him or the U.S.
The comments come as U.S.-mediated talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators continue in Geneva (third round underway), with no major breakthroughs reported yet. Zelensky thanked Trump for his peacemaking push overall and noted private discussions with U.S. envoys (including Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff) feel less confrontational than the public rhetoric.
Source: Axios exclusive interview (published February 17, 2026) “Zelensky says Ukrainian public won’t let him hand Russia territory”