Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Ukraine cannot give up its territories, implying that he is opposed to any territorial concessions in order to achieve peace with Russia.
Recent reports from American media indicate that Trump’s team is working on a strategy aimed at bringing Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table. According to these reports, Trump has suggested that both sides will need to make certain concessions to end the conflict.
“We cannot give up our territories. The Constitution of Ukraine forbids it. In fact, these territories are currently under Russian control. We lack the strength to reclaim them. We can only rely on diplomatic pressure from the international community to force Putin to come to the negotiating table,” Zelensky said in an interview with the French newspaper Le Parisien on Tuesday.
He emphasized that the Ukrainian military cannot independently reclaim Crimea and Donbas, but when asked if he would consider giving up these regions, even temporarily, Zelensky firmly stated that Ukraine cannot legally surrender its territory.
He warned that entering negotiations with Putin under the current circumstances would give the Russian leader the power to dictate terms across the entire region.
“First, we need to develop a model, an action plan, a peace plan, call it whatever you like. Then, we can present it to Putin or, more broadly, to the Russian people,” Zelensky explained.
He also stressed that no world leader “has the right to negotiate with Putin without Ukraine.”
“We have not delegated this mandate to anyone. We are the victims,” he stated.
