Zelenskyy pushes back on ceding Ukrainian land in potential peace deal ahead of London talks

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday pushed back at the idea of Ukraine ceding territory to Russia as part of any potential peace agreement, a day before American, European and Ukrainian officials are set for high-level talks in London.

During similar talks last week in Paris, U.S. officials presented a proposal that included allowing Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a deal, according to a European official familiar with the matter.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the issue is expected to be on the agenda for discussion again this week as all parties focus on finding consensus on a credible approach for ending the war that the United States can convey to the Russians.

But amid media reports about the U.S. proposal, Zelenskyy said the idea of ceding territory — including Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, seized by Russia more than a decade ago — is a nonstarter.

“There is nothing to talk about — it is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy said.

Some European allies are at least somewhat wary of the American proposal. But there's also acknowledgment by some allies that Russia is firmly entrenched wholly or partially in five regions of Ukraine — Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

If the goal is to obtain a ceasefire immediately, “it should be based on the line of contact as it is,” said a senior French official. The official was not authorized to be publicly named and spoke on the condition of anonymity according to French presidential policy.

Still, Ukraine’s territorial integrity and aspirations to strengthen ties with the rest of the continent are a top priority for the Europeans, the European official said.

It remains to be seen whether the latest diplomatic efforts can lead to an endgame after more than three years of war since Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

The fighting continued Tuesday as Russian drones battered the port city of Odesa and glide bombs hit Zaporizhzhia, local authorities said, as the Kremlin again warned that negotiators are unlikely to obtain a swift breakthrough in peace talks.

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia, will represent Washington in the discussions in London, the U.S. State Department said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio won't attend because of a scheduling issue, spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff were part of the U.S. delegation in Paris last week.

“They want diplomacy to work,” Bruce said of Trump and Rubio.

Trump said last week that negotiations were “coming to a head” and insisted that neither side is “playing” him in his push to end the war. That came after Rubio suggested that the U.S. might soon back away from negotiations if they don’t progress.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cautioned that “the settlement issue is so complex that it would be wrong to put some tight limits to it and try to set some short time frame for a settlement, a viable settlement — it would be a thankless task."

Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s delegation heading to the U.K. has a mandate to discuss only an unconditional or partial ceasefire with Russia.

“We are also ready to commit that after a ceasefire, we’re prepared to sit down for talks in any format,” he told reporters.

Zelenskyy added that Ukraine would only believe Russia is serious about peace once it shows results.

Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said Witkoff was expected to visit Moscow again this week. Ushakov provided no further details.

Western analysts say Moscow is in no rush to conclude peace talks, because it has battlefield momentum and wants to capture more Ukrainian land.

Russia has effectively rejected a U.S. proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting by imposing far-reaching conditions.

Odesa came under a “massive attack” by Russian drones overnight, wounding at least three people, the head of the regional administration, Oleh Kiper, wrote on his Telegram page.

A residential building in a densely populated urban area, civilian infrastructure and an educational facility were hit, he said.

Later Tuesday, Russia hit the southern city of Zaporizhzhia with two aerial glide bombs — a retrofitted Soviet weapon that for months has been used to lay waste to eastern Ukraine.

The attack killed a 69-year-old woman and wounded 24 people, including four children, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov.

Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post that his earlier offer of a ceasefire covering civilian sites still stands.

“Russia needs to be seriously prepared to talk about this,” Zelenskyy said. "There are no obstacles on the Ukrainian side, and there will be none.”

Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said there are no plans for talks on the proposal. He said Moscow is prepared to consider such a step, but noted that reaching an agreement could take time.

“While talking about civilian infrastructure, it’s necessary to clearly define when such facilities can be a military target and when they can’t,” he said. “If a military meeting is held there, is it a civilian facility? It is. But is it a military target? Yes, it is. There are some nuances here that need to be discussed.”

The Ukrainian air force said Russia fired 54 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine overnight, marking a resumption of long-range attacks that have blasted civilian areas and sown terror.

Russia has stepped up its use of Shahed drones, expanding its production of the weapon and refining its tactics, the International Institute for Strategic Studies said in a recent analysis.

After Putin declared a unilateral ceasefire on Saturday, Ukraine said it was ready to reciprocate but said Russian attacks continued. Zelenskyy asserted that Russia violated the ceasefire more than 2,900 times.

The Associated Press was unable to verify whether a ceasefire was in place along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.

Meanwhile, both Russia and Ukraine are preparing for the spring-summer military campaign, Ukrainian and Western officials say.

Madhani reported from Washington. AP writer Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT - People try to give first aid to an injured civilian at a residential building damaged by a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)

A car burns near a residential building damaged by a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)

A residential building damaged by a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)

A woman walks in front of a multi-storey building damaged by a Russian strike on a residential neighbourhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

Paramedics carry an injured woman to an ambulance near a multi-storey building damaged by a Russian strike on residential neighbourhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

A police officer calms an injured dog near a multi-storey building damaged by a Russian strike on residential neighbourhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

A police officer comforts an injured woman near a multi-storey building damaged by a Russian strike on residential neighbourhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

A multi-storey building is seen damaged by a Russian strike on residential neighbourhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

Police officers evacuate a woman from a multi-storey building damaged by a Russian strike on residential neighbourhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

Rescue workers inspect a multi-storey building damaged by a Russian strike on residential neighbourhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

A man checks the dead body of his neighbor near a multi-story building damaged by a Russian strike on residential neighborhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

Police officers calm an injured dog while a dead body lies near a multi-story building damaged by a Russian strike on a residential neighborhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

In this photo provided by Ukraine's 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, Ukrainian servicemen attend an Easter service on their position in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (Mykola Oliinyk/Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP)

The Golden Globes bill themselves as Hollywood’s booziest bash. This year, is anyone ready to party?

Political tension and industrywide uncertainty are the prevailing moods heading into Sunday night's 83rd Golden Globes. Hollywood is coming off a disappointing box-office year and now anxiously awaits the fate of one of its most storied studios, Warner Bros.

A celebratory mood might be even more elusive given that the wide majority of the performers and filmmakers congregating at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, oppose the policies of President Donald Trump. Likely to be on the minds of many attendees: the recent U.S. involvement in Venezuela and the fatal shooting of 37-year-old mother Renee Good in Minneapolis by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

But through their ups and downs, the Globes have always tried to put pomp over politics. Host Nikki Glaser has vowed as much.

“You’d be surprised that half the room had no clue why I was saying ‘Venezuela,’” Glaser told The Associated Press earlier in the week, referring to her comedy-club warm-ups. “People aren’t getting the news like we all are.”

Glaser, a comic known for her roast appearances, has promised to go after A-listers in her second time hosting.

“We’re going to hit Leo,” Glaser said. “The icebergs are coming.”

Here’s what to look for at this year’s Globes:

The Golden Globes kick off at 8 p.m. EST on CBS while streaming live for Paramount+ premium subscribers. E!’s red carpet coverage begins at 6 p.m. EST.

The Associated Press will be have a livestream show beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern with a mix of stars' arrivals, fashion shots and celebrity interviews. It will be available on YouTube and APNews.

The overwhelming Oscar favorite “One Battle After Another” comes in with a leading nine nominations. It’s competing in the Globes’ musical or comedy category, which means the drama side might be more competitive. There, Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” and Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” are all in the mix.

But thus far, “One Battle After Another” has cleaned up just about everywhere. Much of Paul Thomas Anderson’s cast is nominated, including DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti and Benicio Del Toro.

If it and “Sinners” take home the two biggest prizes, it will be a banner night for Warner Bros. even as its future hangs in the balance. The studio has agreed to be acquired by Netflix is a deal worth $82.7 billion. Movie theaters have warned such a result would be “a direct and irreversible negative impact on movie theaters around the world.”

The merger awaits regulatory approval, while Paramount Skydance is still trying to convince Warner shareholders to accept its rival offer.

After an audacious promotional tour for “Marty Supreme,” Timothée Chalamet is poised to win his first Globe in five nominations. In best actor, comedy or musical, he’ll have to beat DiCaprio, a three-time Globe winner, and Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”).

In best actress, comedy or musical, Rose Byrne is the favorite for her performance in the not especially funny A24 indie “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” One prominent nominee in the category, Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked: For Good”), won’t be attending due to her schedule in the West End production “Dracula.”

Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”) is the clear front-runner in best actress, drama. In the star-studded best actor, drama, category, the Brazilian actor Wagner Moura (“The Secret Agent”) may win over Michael B. Jordan (“Sinners”) and Joel Edgerton (“Train Dreams”).

In the supporting categories, Teyana Taylor and Stellan Skarsgård come in the favorites.

The Globes, formerly presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, have no overlap or direct correlation with the Academy Awards. After being sold in 2023 to Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions, a part of Penske Media, the Globes are voted on by around 400 people. The Oscars are voted on by more than 10,500 professionals.

But in the fluctuating undulations of awards season, a good speech at the Globes can really boost an Oscar campaign. Last year, that seemed to be the case for Demi Moore, who won for “The Substance” and gave the night's most emotional speech. Mikey Madison (“Anora”), however, scored the upset win at the Oscars.

A few potentially good moments this year went instead in a Golden Eve ceremony earlier this week. There, the Cecil B. DeMille and Carol Burnett honorees, Helen Mirren and Sarah Jessica Parker, accepted their awards.

One to watch, if he wins, will be the Iranian director Jafar Panahi. His revenge drama “It Was Just an Accident” is up for four awards. Panahi has spent most of his career making films clandestinely, without approval of authorities, and was until recently banned from leaving the country. Last month, he was sentenced to a year in prison, which would be only his latest stint behind bars if Panahi returns home to serve it. This week, protests over Iran’s ailing economy have spread throughout the country in a new test to Iran's leaders.

For the first time, the Globes are trotting out a new podcast category. The nominees are: “Armchair Expert,” “Call Her Daddy,” “Good Hang With Amy Poehler,” “The Mel Robbins Podcast,” “SmartLess” and “Up First.”

In TV, HBO Max’s “The White Lotus” — another potential big winner for Warner Bros. — leads with six nominations. Netflix’s “Adolescence” comes in with five nods.

But the most closely watched nominee might be “The Studio.” The first season of Seth Rogen’s Hollywood satire memorably included an episode devoted to drama around a night at the Globes. (Sample line: “I remember when the red carpet of the Golden Globes actually stood for something.”) “The Studio” is up for three awards, giving three chances for life to imitate art.

For more coverage of this year’s Golden Globe Awards, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/golden-globe-awards

Amy Poehler, left, and Joel Lovell arrive at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Owen Cooper arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Teyana Taylor arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Teyana Taylor arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Stellan Skarsgård, left, and Megan Everett-Skarsgard arrive at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Colman Domingo arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Selena Gomez arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Nikki Glaser arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Maura Higgins, from ledt, Gayle King, and Mona Kosar Abdi arrive at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Derek Hough arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Tessa Thompson arrives at the Golden Globes Golden Eve on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Nikki Glaser rolls out the red carpet during the 83rd Golden Globes press preview on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)