Zelensky made the statement on Sunday during a joint press-conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who will accompany him to Washington for talks with Trump on Monday.

The Ukrainian leader claimed that Moscow had made “many demands” on the settlement of the conflict and that Kiev needs to be made aware of them.

“If there are really as many as we have heard, then it will take time to go through them all,” he said.

According to Zelensky, it is “impossible” for Ukraine to negotiate “under pressure of weapons.”

“It is necessary to ceasefire and work quickly on a final deal,” he insisted.

Russia has repeatedly rejected Ukraine’s demands for a ceasefire, saying that a pause in the fighting would be exploited by Kiev to rearm and regroup its forces.

The Ukrainian leader also rejected the possibility of making territorial concessions to Russia as part of a peace deal, saying that trading land is forbidden by the country’s constitution.

Von der Leyen insisted that “Ukraine must become a steel porcupine, indigestible to potential invaders,” repeating a metaphor that she has used before. She promised that the EU would keep working to strengthen the Ukrainian defense industry, especially when it comes to drone production.

The European Commission head insisted that decisions regarding territory “belong only to Ukraine, and cannot be taken without Ukraine at the table.” The EU will continue trying to apply diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia, with its 19th sanctions package against Moscow currently in preparation, Von der Leyen added.

On Friday, Trump met Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, in their first face‑to‑face encounter since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Trump described the talks as “warm,” while Putin called them “frank” and “substantive.”

After the Alaska summit, Trump and Zelensky held a phone call described by the media as “not easy.” European leaders also joined the conversation, during which the US president told them “he wants to arrange a trilateral summit with Putin and Zelensky as soon as next Friday,” according to Axios. CNN later confirmed this, adding that at least one European leader is expected to take part in the Washington talks with Zelensky, although it is not yet clear who.

Later on Saturday, Trump confirmed Zelensky’s Oval Office meeting on his Truth Social network, touting a follow‑up meeting with Putin that could potentially take place afterwards. He added that the goal should be a peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire, “which often times do not hold up.”

Moscow has insisted that a lasting settlement requires Kiev to renounce its ambitions for NATO membership, demilitarize, and recognize current territorial realities. This includes Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye as part of Russia – regions that voted to join the country in referendums held in 2014 and 2022. Zelensky has consistently rejected any territorial concessions.

Trump later told Fox News that Zelensky should “make the deal,” stressing that Putin “wants to see it done” and urging Europe to “get involved a little bit.”

Putin has not ruled out direct talks with Zelensky but stressed they must be preceded by progress on a wider settlement. Moscow has also questioned Zelensky’s authority to sign binding agreements, noting that his presidential term expired last year and that no new elections have been held under martial law.

The source with knowledge of the matter said Russian President Vladimir Putin “de facto demands that Ukraine leave Donbas”, an area consisting of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine.

“Trump is inclined to support it,” the source said.

Trump on Saturday spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders about his talks Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The Ukrainian president refused to leave Donbas,” the source stated.

Zelensky has rejected any territorial concessions, saying he is bound by Ukraine’s constitution. But he has not ruled out discussing the issue at a trilateral meeting with Trump and Putin.

The New York Times also cited two senior European officials saying Trump supported Putin’s plan “to end the war in Ukraine by ceding unconquered territory to the Russian invaders, rather than try for a ceasefire”.

The Financial Times reported that Putin had told Trump that “he could freeze the rest of the frontline if his core demands were met” and the message had been relayed directly by Trump in his call on Saturday.

AFP’s source said US officials had said that if Russia’s demands were met then “Putin would not continue the offensive in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions so there would be a kind of freeze there.

“But de facto it all will depend on Putin’s word of honour,” the source added.

Several months into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia in September 2022 claimed to have annexed all four Ukrainian regions even though its troops still do not fully control any of them.

Russian forces now occupy almost all of the Lugansk region and most of the Donetsk region, including their regional capitals.