“There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy said.

Trump frustrated with both sides

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s leader dismissed the idea of giving up territory to Russia as part of any agreement, ahead of discussions scheduled for Wednesday in London that include US, European, and Ukrainian representatives.

Russia has effectively rejected a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting by imposing far-reaching conditions.

Trump frequently claimed during his election campaign last year that he would swiftly end the war if elected. However, he has expressed dissatisfaction with both Zelenskyy and Putin. While some European allies are cautious about the American suggestion for Ukraine to trade land for peace, there is also a recognition that Russia has strong control over parts of five Ukrainian regions: Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

If the goal is to obtain a ceasefire immediately, “it should be based on the line of contact as it is,” said the senior French official, who was not authorised to be publicly named and spoke on condition of anonymity according to French presidential policy.