Zelenskyy, speaking before a Friday summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, said earning territorial autonomy only after Russia agrees to a cease-fire would make sense.

U.S. Prepares for Trump-Putin Talks
In a statement on Friday, the White House referred to the coming meeting as an "exercise in listening" for Mr. Trump, even as it played down any prospect of a quick resolution. While Trump has floated triangular land trades as part of a peace deal, Zelenskyy has not budged on the principle that Ukraine be party to any talks over its land.

In a statement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president will seek "peace and partnership whenever possible," but it is not known if he is considering a visit to Russia.

Diplomatic Efforts and Lingering Tensions
As the summit approached, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss arrangements. Trump suggested a potential three-way meeting with Zelensky after speaking with Putin.

The US has set April 17 as the deadline for Moscow to begin "to de-escalate", but Trump officials say no one expects a response by then. Trump had said sanctions could follow, but those have not materialized as of now.

Stopping short of commitment to any U.S.-brokered peace, European leaders are deeply worried that Washington could agree on something with Moscow over their heads that allows Russia to make significant gains.