Zelensky Offers Land Swaps, Russia Heartens Trump With Prisoner Release
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated a willingness to negotiate a territorial swap with Russia—a move that led to the release of at least one American prisoner, an act described by former US President Donald Trump on Tuesday as a goodwill gesture aimed at ending the conflict.
Previously, Zelensky had steadfastly refused to relinquish any Ukrainian land following Russia’s invasion in February 2022. However, in an interview with The Guardian released Tuesday, he confirmed that Kyiv is now prepared for serious negotiations. This comes ahead of a Friday meeting at the Munich Security Conference with US Vice President JD Vance, who has been an outspoken critic of US military support for Ukraine.
“We will swap one territory for another,” Zelensky stated, adding that he is ready to exchange land in Russia’s Kursk region—a territory captured by Ukraine during a surprise offensive last year. He also emphasized that Ukraine’s security cannot be guaranteed solely through its European partners.
“Security guarantees without America are not real security guarantees,” he said.
Trump took office vowing to end the war in Ukraine, possibly by leveraging billions of dollars in US assistance sent under former president Joe Biden, to force Kyiv into territorial concessions.
In the first known visit by a member of the Trump administration to Russia since he returned to the White House last month, envoy Steve Witkoff secured the release of Marc Fogel, an American jailed since 2021 on drug charges.
“We were treated very nicely by Russia,” Trump told reporters of Fogel’s release.
“Actually, I hope that’s the beginning of a relationship where we can end that war.”
Trump greeted Fogel at the White House Tuesday night after he landed back in the United States, recounting a meeting with Fogel’s 95-year-old mother at a campaign rally where he promised her to “get him out.”
The White House announced Tuesday that the release of an American detainee—whose appeal against a 14‑year sentence was rejected by Russia’s Supreme Court—was part of a broader exchange deal. Former President Donald Trump said later that evening a second detainee would be released on Wednesday, though he offered few details about what had been traded.
There was no immediate comment from Moscow; state‑run news outlets simply re‐reported the White House announcement. The administration described the move as a “show of good faith” from the Russians, a signal that some progress is being made on the international stage even as long‑standing conflicts continue.
In related diplomatic news, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff—a longtime friend of the former president and a property developer who played a key role in brokering a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas—has once again been in the spotlight. Meanwhile, Trump also announced that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will soon visit Ukraine, adding another high‑level trip to an agenda that includes efforts to reshape U.S. engagement in multiple conflict zones.
Although specifics remain scarce—Trump declined to explain what, if anything, the United States provided in return, or to identify the second detainee—the administration insists these moves are steps toward a more constructive dialogue with Russia and a signal that targeted exchanges and strategic visits will continue to form part of its broader international policy.
