Russia rejects Zelensky's territory swap proposal

Russia has firmly rejected the idea of exchanging Ukrainian-controlled areas of the Kursk region for Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Moscow, a proposal made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a recent interview with The Guardian.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday that Russia will never negotiate its own territory, reinforcing Moscow's stance that all annexed Ukrainian regions belong to Russia.

The idea of a land swap was part of Zelensky's broader approach to potential negotiations, but Russia, which controls nearly 20% of Ukraine, has made it clear that Ukrainian forces in Kursk will be removed by military force rather than through diplomatic exchange.

The rejection comes at a time when Russian advances in Ukraine are progressing at their fastest pace since the 2022 invasion, though at significant cost in manpower and equipment, according to military analysts. For now, it remains to be seen how this rejection will influence future diplomatic efforts.