KHARKIV REGION, Ukraine (Reuters) -Ukrainian soldiers preparing for battle say they have little faith in prospects for a quick ceasefire, and many reject suggestions that Kyiv should give up any of its hard-fought territory to Russia.
Reuters interviewed troops at two training bases in the northeastern Kharkiv region this week, days ahead of a planned meeting in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine fears the two leaders could use their summit on Friday to dictate terms of peace and force Kyiv to abandon territory, a move Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has flatly rejected.
“Give it away to whom? Give it away for what?” asked the commander of a training base for Ukraine’s 58th Motorised Brigade, whose call sign is Chef.
Trump said on Monday that both Kyiv and Moscow would need to cede land to end the war, now in its fourth year. European Union leaders rallied to Ukraine’s defence on Tuesday, saying it must have the freedom to decide its own future.
The joint statement came as Russian forces made a sudden thrust into eastern Ukraine in a bid to break a key defensive line, likely aimed at boosting pressure on Kyiv to give up land.
The rapid battlefield push by Russia’s larger and better-equipped army followed months of deadly air strikes on Ukrainian towns and cities.
A Gallup poll released last week found that 69% of Ukrainians favor a negotiated end to the war as soon as possible. However, around the same number believe fighting won’t end soon.
“Every path to peace is built through negotiations,” said another 58th Brigade soldier, call sign Champion, sitting inside an armoured vehicle.
“But I cannot say that tomorrow there will be peace just like that… Because the enemy continues to creep in.”
Trump said his talks with Putin would be “a feel-out meeting” and that he would tell the Russian leader to “end this war”. But he also hinted that he may walk away and let the two sides continue fighting.
Other Ukrainian troops training in the Kharkiv region also welcomed a ceasefire, but said the Kremlin would need to be forced into making peace.
“Until Russia suffers losses big enough to give up the idea of military pressure on us, (fighting) will continue,” said an instructor from the 43rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, whose call sign is Snail.
“We will not be able to stop this otherwise.”
(Writing by Dan PeleschukEditing by Alexandra Hudson)
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