Rebuffing Zelenskyy, Russia rules out territorial swaps

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) – Russia will never discuss any exchanges of its territories, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday, rebuffing a proposal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Peskov stressed that Moscow’s position on its territorial integrity remains unchanged. “Russia will never discuss the exchange of its territories,” he said.

The briefing also covered other topics, including Russia’s stance on negotiations with Ukraine, the schedule of President Vladimir Putin, and allegations of crimes by Ukrainian forces in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv-Daryino region.

On this week’s release of American citizen Marc Fogel, Peskov said he was exchanged for a Russian national imprisoned in the US.

Additionally, he reiterated that Ukrainian forces present on what he called Russian territory would be “eliminated and expelled.”

Earlier, Zelenskyy said that he plans to propose to Moscow a territorial exchange if US President Donald Trump manages to organize negotiations.

"We will swap one territory for another," Zelenskyy was quoted as saying.

However, he did not specify which Russian-controlled territory of Ukraine they would seek in return, adding: "All our territories are important, there is no priority."