Kiev mayor states Ukraine may have to surrender territory to Russia
(MENAFN) Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko has acknowledged that Ukraine might need to relinquish some territory to Russia as a potential path to peace, although he emphasized that any such concession would be temporary. Speaking to the BBC in an interview aired Friday, Klitschko admitted that the territorial situation on the ground cannot be ignored, referencing Crimea and four other regions that voted to join Russia in referendums held in 2014 and 2022—votes Ukraine refuses to recognize.
“Ceding land isn’t fair, but perhaps it could serve as a temporary solution to achieve peace,” Klitschko said, while maintaining that Ukrainians would not accept long-term occupation.
When asked if President Vladimir Zelensky takes his opinions into account regarding the conflict, Klitschko stated he is not part of the decision-making process, noting that “Zelensky handles this on his own.”
The two leaders have had a tense relationship, with Klitschko previously accusing Zelensky’s administration of undermining local authorities. Back in February, Klitschko warned that Ukraine should brace for a potentially painful compromise.
His remarks follow reports of a US-brokered peace proposal under President Donald Trump, which would involve recognizing Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, halting the conflict along current battle lines, and keeping Ukraine out of NATO in exchange for Western-backed security guarantees. Zelensky has rejected any recognition of Crimea as Russian territory—an action Trump criticized, calling it damaging to peace efforts and asserting that “Crimea was lost years ago.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also commented that negotiations between Moscow and Washington are progressing, although some aspects of the proposed agreement still need refining.
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