Ukraine: Citizens Reject Land Concessions for Peace – ‘Russia Aims to Control the Country’

Just last month, Vitali Klitschko, the former heavyweight boxing champion who is now mayor of Kyiv, made a controversial statement in an interview suggesting that Ukraine might need to sacrifice land to end the war with Russia. This statement unsurprisingly sparked a wave of reactions in Ukraine, forcing him to rephrase his comments by stating this time that territorial concessions ‘go against our national interests, and we must fight against their implementation until the end.’ Donald Trump and his mediators believe that the only way to end the Russian war in Ukraine is for Kyiv to recognize, in some form, that it will not reclaim Ukrainian lands occupied by Moscow’s forces since the February 2022 invasion. However, the incident with Klitschko (along with a poll exclusively accessed by Reuters) shows that, more than three years into the war, Ukrainians are unwilling to lose territory to Russia in exchange for the much-desired ceasefire agreement. This common stance explains why President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists on his position and refuses to concede land despite pressure from Donald Trump. A Gradus Research poll revealed that nearly three-quarters of the population do not consider territorial concessions a way to end the war. ‘Most respondents believe that Russia’s main goal in the war… is to have full control over our country,’ stated Gradus in a note about the poll findings. ‘Ukrainian territorial concessions are not seen as a compromise or peace guarantee—on the contrary, they could only strengthen the aggressor.’ Russia denies aiming to control Ukraine but its forces directly targeted Kyiv during their invasion in 2022 before being driven out by Ukrainian troops to their current positions in the south and east. This week’s Ukrainian poll indicates that 40% of respondents believe even if concessions are made, peace would only be temporary and unsustainable. Thirty-one percent believe concessions won’t lead to peace, according to Gradus. Russia now controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory de facto, including Crimea, annexed in 2014, and large parts of four other eastern and southeastern regions. According to American negotiators, many of Ukraine’s European allies—and some Ukrainians in private discussions—argue that Ukraine should accept territorial losses to end the war. Ukrainians are exhausted and face a larger and stronger enemy. Their efforts to repel Russia on the battlefield have failed since the first year of the war, and their Western partners haven’t provided enough military aid for a decisive victory. Zelenskyy has acknowledged that Ukraine cannot reclaim its lands through military force but emphasizes that official land cession violates the country’s constitution. Opposition to land concessions has softened as the war continues. Data from the International Institute of Sociology of Kyiv (KIIS) showed that in March, about 39% were in favor of territorial concessions compared to just 10% in May 2022. However, it also showed that in March, 50% of Ukrainians rejected the idea of conceding land to Russia, compared to 51% in December. Data from another agency—the Razumkov Center—from a poll conducted in February-March showed that nearly 82% of respondents oppose any official recognition of occupied territories. ‘The definition of territorial concessions that more than half the population may reluctantly accept is a de facto recognition of occupation without de jure recognition,’ said Anton Khroustetski from KIIS, adding that the country should receive security guarantees in return. Beyond Klitschko’s brief intervention, no known figures in Ukraine’s political scene or public life have attempted to promote a national dialogue on the need to recognize territorial losses. Gevhen Mahnda, a political analyst in Kyiv, stated that dialogue between the country’s leadership and society regarding land concessions is essential to ensure broad acceptance of any potential agreement. ‘Unfortunately, we must be realistic,’ Mahnda said about the terms of a possible peace agreement, noting that many Ukrainians still view discussions about territorial compromises as betrayal.