Russia on Wednesday, February 12, rejected any possibility of swapping occupied Ukrainian territory in a future peace deal, just hours after launching a missile and drone attack on Kyiv that killed one person and injured at least four others.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had suggested exchanging Ukrainian-controlled parts of Russia’s Kursk region for Russian-occupied areas in eastern and southern Ukraine in an interview published late Tuesday. However, the Kremlin dismissed the proposal outright.
“This is impossible,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “Russia has never and will never discuss the topic of exchanging its territory.” He further stated that Ukrainian forces holding territory inside Russia would either be “destroyed” or pushed out.
The Kremlin’s rejection came after an attack on Kyiv that damaged apartment blocks, office buildings, and civilian infrastructure. AFP journalists reported hearing explosions across the city and saw the body of one person covered with a black plastic sheet on a debris-littered street.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is “not preparing for peace—he continues to kill Ukrainians and destroy cities,” Zelensky wrote on social media after the strikes. “Only strong steps and pressure on Russia can stop this terror. Right now we need the unity and the support of all our partners in the fight for a just end to this war.”
Russia’s defense ministry confirmed it had carried out a “group missile strike” on Ukrainian military-industrial sites, specifically targeting drone production facilities, and claimed all intended targets had been hit.
Zelensky’s comments on Russia’s unwillingness to negotiate come amid increased rhetoric from Moscow, Washington, and Kyiv regarding possible peace talks. The Ukrainian leader is set to meet U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Friday during the Munich Security Conference, where discussions on the war will dominate the agenda.
Meanwhile, Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, is expected to visit Ukraine next week as part of efforts to draft a proposal to halt the fighting. The visit will come just days before the three-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion on February 24.
Trump, who took office vowing to end the war, has suggested leveraging the billions of dollars in U.S. aid sent under former President Joe Biden to push Kyiv into territorial concessions.
On Tuesday, February 11, Trump welcomed Marc Fogel, an American detained in Russia on drug charges since 2021, to the White House following his release in a prisoner exchange. The U.S. president described Russia’s move as “very nice” and expressed hope that it could mark “the beginning of a relationship where we can end that war.”
Peskov confirmed that Fogel had been exchanged for a Russian citizen held in the U.S., whose identity would be disclosed upon their return to Russia. However, he downplayed any suggestion that the swap signaled a breakthrough in U.S.-Russia relations, calling it a small step toward thawing ties that remain at their “lowest point.”
On the battlefield, Ukraine continues to face setbacks. Emergency services in Kyiv reported deploying 120 rescue workers to three districts affected by the missile strikes, extinguishing fires caused by the attacks.
In the Chernigiv region, north of Kyiv, Governor Vyacheslav Chaus said Russian forces had targeted “critical infrastructure,” wounding two people.
Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting six missiles and 71 out of 123 drones, including Iranian-designed Shahed attack vehicles.
The discussions on a potential resolution to the war come as Ukraine faces mounting challenges on the front lines. Kyiv’s forces have been struggling against better-resourced Russian troops at key strategic locations, raising concerns about their ability to hold ground as the conflict nears its third anniversary.
