Zelensky Names One Condition for Ukraine to Give Up Territory

Volodymyr Zelensky has said that territorial concessions to end the war started by Vladimir Putin would require the backing of a referendum in Ukraine.

However, the Ukrainian president told French media that such a move "is not the best option because we are dealing with Putin and it will be a victory for him if he takes part of our territory."

"Ukraine will never give up its territories because this would be an attack on the Constitution," he said, adding any such move "is a very, very difficult question."

Decisions on Ukrainian territorial integrity cannot be made by the president but by the Ukrainian people, he said in the interview with French outlets Le Monde, AFP and L'Equipe published Wednesday.

"It goes against the Constitution of Ukraine," he said, "those in power have no official right to give up their territories." For that to happen, "the Ukrainian people has to want it," he added, without ruling out a referendum on the matter.

Viktor Kovalenko, an analyst on Ukraine and Russia and a former Ukrainian soldier (2014-2015), told Newsweek that Zelensky's suggestion of a referendum was "a significant shift in policy and could potentially diminish Zelensky's popularity, which currently unites the nation in its fight for survival."

"Ukraine might consider the risk of a referendum, as it does not ensure that the Ukrainian people will consent to cede territory. They could reaffirm their refusal to Putin and validate the 1991 borders," he said, referring to the year Ukraine declared independence.

"Another critical factor is that a territorial referendum necessitates a ceasefire from Putin, and the presently occupied territories would be unable to partake. It remains uncertain whether the Kremlin is prepared to halt attacks and bombardments at this stage," he added.

After two and a half years of war, Russia and Ukraine are a long way from negotiations— but recent surveys in Ukraine have pointed to a shift in opinion among the population toward the prospects of talks.

Polling in May by the Kyiv International Institute for Sociology (KIIS) found a third (32 percent) of Ukrainians would accept ceding territory for peace and independence compared with 26 percent in February this year and 9 percent in February 2023.

More than half (55 percent) are still opposed giving up territory to Russia if it would end the war, but this was down from 74 percent in December 2023. Meanwhile, Ukrainian news outlet ZN.UA reported in July that 44 percent of people in the country agreed that the time had come to start negotiations with Russia.

Zelensky told the BBC last month if Moscow was ready to discuss a plan to end the war "in accordance with the U.N. Charter, then we will be ready to speak."

Zelensky told French media that Russian representatives should attend a second summit in November to present a peace plan based on Zelensky's peace formula first announced in November 2022, which includes withdrawing all Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.

The Kremlin has repeatedly dismissed Ukraine's peace efforts and its 10-point formula.

Before the first peace summit in June, which Moscow did not attend, Putin said that as a condition for peace negotiations, Ukraine must fully withdraw from four partially occupied oblasts that Moscow illegally annexed in 2022. This has been roundly rejected by Kyiv.

But the idea of negotiations between both sides continues to gain momentum. Last week, Russia's ally China suggested Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba had said on a visit to Guangzhou that Kyiv was ready to negotiate with Moscow. Kyiv later clarified Kuleba meant Ukraine would only talk when Russia is ready to negotiate in good faith.

"We are on the front line as long as Russia wants to wage war," Zelensky said, "then we can resolve these issues diplomatically, if Russia wants to."

Newsweek has contacted the Russian foreign ministry for comment.

Update 08/01/24, 10:44 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Viktor Kovalenko.