Territorial issues remain the most sensitive point in peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized that “territorial matters are the most difficult” aspect of any potential agreement.
The Kremlin demands that Ukraine relinquish territories it still controls in the east, but Kyiv has made it clear that this will never happen. According to BBC reports, these areas include key cities known as the “fortress belt”: Donetsk, Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, and Druzhkivka, home to at least a quarter of a million Ukrainians. Relinquishing these zones would be unacceptable for the majority of Ukrainians.
Fighting continues in the strategic city of Pokrovsk. Russia claims it has captured the city, while Ukraine denies this, asserting that clashes are ongoing.
A U.S.-backed draft peace plan proposes that Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk be recognized “de facto Russian,” including by the United States, without Ukraine or other countries granting legal recognition of Russian control.
The plan also suggests adjustments along the frontlines in southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, with Russia withdrawing from some occupied areas in northeastern and southern Ukraine, including regions of Kharkiv, Sumy, and Mykolaiv.
Zelensky has warned that accepting Russia’s territorial gains by force would set a dangerous precedent. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that Russia and Ukraine are currently fighting over a 30–50 kilometer strip of territory.
