Scott Ritter, ex-US Marine intelligence officer, stated that Ukraine will inevitably lose regions like Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk to Russia following the 2022 referendums. He criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying he is not a good leader and should face this reality. Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump suggested territorial concessions from both sides to end the war, with upcoming talks planned with Putin in Alaska to explore peace agreements.