 "Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sings the national anthem during his visit in Kherson, Ukraine, November 14, 2022. (Photo: Reuters)")
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could be ready to cede some of his country’s territory in a peace deal, according to a report.
The development comes after Zelenskyy rejected any deal between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin about his country in their upcoming summit on Friday without Ukraine’s presence and approval.
The Telegraph has reported that Zelenskyy could agree to cede territory that Russia already controls at the moment.
However, Zelenskyy has ruled out ceding any territory that is still under Ukrainian control.
As of July-end, Russia was in control of around 19 per cent Ukrainian territory, including the province of Crimea that it had invaded and occupied in 2014.
Will Zelenskyy’s concession be good enough for Putin?
Zelenskyy’s concession, which would essentially mean freezing battlelines as they exit now, would cede Putin large parts of eastern Ukraine and solidify the control over Crimea that has bene under Russian rule since 2014.
However, Zelenskyy’s concession may not placate Putin as his maximalist demands do not just include the territory currently under Russian occupation but all four provinces that he declared to be a part of Russia in 2022 — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Even though Russia controls a large chunk of the Donbas region comprising Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine controls a sizable part of these provinces and battles continue to range along the frontlines.
Moreover, Zelenskyy will only agree to a peace settlement that offers robust security guarantees in the form of weapons deliveries and a path to Nato membership, according to The Telegraph.
Impact Shorts
View AllThe report said that the plan has been backed by Ukraine’s European partners, such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy.
“Europeans now understand their role as supportive of Ukraine in terms of the diplomatic negotiations. It’s a boost for morale, it’s also strengthening the diplomatic positions of Ukraine so that it doesn’t feel alone,” a Western official told the newspaper.