'Putin Is Bluffing, Doesn't Want Peace': Zelenskyy Says Russia Wants To Occupy Ukraine

Last Updated:August 13, 2025, 22:22 IST

Zelenskyy insists Ukraine's territorial integrity must reflect its people's will before the US-Russia summit in Alaska

A file photo of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “bluffing", saying that Russia wants to occupy the whole of Ukraine and has no intention of pursuing peace.

Zelenskyy made the remarks ahead of the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, set to take place in Alaska.

“I told President Trump and all our European allies that Putin is bluffing," Zelenskyy said.

He added that Russia was trying to increase military pressure across the Ukrainian front before the meeting in Alaska.

“He’s trying to push in all directions of the front ahead of the Alaska meeting. Russia wants to occupy the whole of Ukraine. That is his goal. He does not want peace," Zelenskyy said.

Speaking about the Trump-Putin summit, the Ukrainian president stressed that any discussions about Ukraine’s territorial integrity must include the Ukrainian people.

“Any questions concerning our country’s territorial integrity cannot be discussed without regard for our people, for the will of our people and the Ukrainian constitution," he said.

Zelenskyy also said that Russia should face fresh sanctions if it refuses to agree to an immediate ceasefire during the summit.

“We hope that the central topic at the meeting will be a ceasefire. An immediate ceasefire," Zelensky said, following a phone call with President Trump and European leaders ahead of the US-Russia talks.

“Sanctions must be in place and must be strengthened if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire," he added, speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin.

Trump-Putin Summit

The summit is set to take place on Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska. This will be the first one-on-one meeting between the two leaders since their 2018 summit in Helsinki and is expected to focus on ending the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has now lasted over three years.

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, located near Alaska’s capital Anchorage, combines the Elmendorf Air Force Base and the Army’s Fort Richardson, merged in 2010. The base serves as headquarters for several key military commands, including the Alaska Command and the Alaskan NORAD Region, which handles aerospace control and warnings.

The US military frequently intercepts Russian aircraft that approach American airspace in Alaska, maintaining visual or electronic contact to monitor the activity.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since returning to office, President Trump has been pushing for a peace agreement, though his efforts have yet to achieve any major breakthrough.

(With inputs from AFP)

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