Mr. Zelensky declared that Ukraine will never accept Russia's ultimatum.

According to The Guardian, Ukraine reacted with disappointment and concern when the US and Russia held a meeting in Saudi Arabia on February 18. President Volodymyr Zelensky affirmed that he would never accept ultimatums from Russia.

Speaking in Ankara after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Mr. Zelensky stressed that Ukraine will not accept the results of negotiations on ending the war with Russia that are held “behind Ukraine’s back.”

"It feels like the US is discussing the ultimatum that Putin gave at the beginning of a full-scale war," Mr Zelensky told reporters. He added: "Once again, decisions on Ukraine are being made without Ukraine. I wonder why they think that Ukraine will now accept all these ultimatums, when we previously rejected them at the most difficult moment?"

Mr Zelensky also affirmed that he would seek to recapture the occupied towns and villages in the east and south through diplomatic means, stressing: "Those areas will be Ukrainian. There can be no compromise."

Reuters news agency reported that Mr. Zelensky postponed a visit to Saudi Arabia, scheduled for February 19, to avoid inadvertently recognizing the “legitimacy” of the US-Russia talks.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian President's Office, did not directly criticize the Trump administration, but said that the high-level talks between the US and Russia were not well prepared and were essentially just a forum for Russia to issue more ultimatums.

The Guardian also said the immediate concern was that a Trump-Putin deal could require Ukraine to hold elections immediately after the ceasefire takes effect, before any final agreement is reached. Some Ukrainian commentators have suggested the aim of this plan is to replace Mr Zelensky with a weaker leader or even a pro-Russian candidate.

Ukraine argues that it has no obligation to hold elections under martial law, saying most Ukrainians believe it is unrealistic to hold elections at this time, when millions have fled the country and soldiers are still fighting on the front lines. European embassies in Kiev also agree.

The White House has sidelined Ukraine and European countries from direct talks with Russia, which would have been the first bilateral contact between the two countries since before the Ukraine conflict erupted in 2022.