Volodymyr Zelensky is far from happy with a critical part of Donald Trump's plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

08:14, Wed, Feb 18, 2026 Updated: 12:36, Wed, Feb 18, 2026

President Trump Hosts Ukrainian President Zelensky At The White House

Volodymyr Zelensky has hit out at part of Donald Trump's peace deal proposal (Image: Getty)

Volodymyr Zelensky has taken a swipe at part of Donald Trump's approach to a Russia-Ukraine peace deal, warning: "People will never forgive this." The Ukrainian people would reject a peace deal that involves Ukraine unilaterally withdrawing from the eastern Donbas region and handing it over to Russia, President Zelensky said in an interview with Axios. Zelensky also said he is ready to discuss troop withdrawals, but has called on Moscow to pull its forces back by an equivalent distance and has rejected Russia's claims over the Donbas region. However, Zelensky appeared to take a swipe at Donald Trump, insisting it was "not fair" that the US President continues to publicly call on Ukraine, not Russia, to make concessions on peace. In recent days, Mr Trump has on two occasions said the onus was on Zelensky to make a concession. The Ukrainian President told Axios: "I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision.

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Donald Trump has often urged Ukraine to make the concessions (Image: Getty)

Zelensky also noted that Washington and Kyiv have agreed that any deal must be put to a referendum of the Ukrainian people.

However, if that agreement involves Ukrainian troops withdrawing from Donbas, it would be voted down.

He warned: "Emotionally, people will never forgive this. Never. They will not forgive... me, they will not forgive [the U.S.]," adding that Ukrainians "can't understand why" they would be asked to give up additional land.

"This is part of our country, all these citizens, the flag, the land," Zelensky said.

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It is believed peace talks hit a setback earlier this month after a surprise meeting between American and Russian negotiators in Florida without Ukraine.

Envoys from the three countries were expected to meet in Abu Dhabi on February 1 to continue talks. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that they would take place on February 4-5 instead.

The delay came after Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, met Russia's special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, without the Ukrainians.

Neither the White House nor the Kremlin have said what was discussed, but Mr Witkoff said on social media that the meeting was "productive and constructive".

The first trilateral talks took place on January 23 and 24 in Abu Dhabi and were described by all sides as "constructive".