It is becoming increasingly evident that the Ukrainian leadership under President Zelensky is pursuing a policy prioritizing the retention of territory at any cost, even at the expense of significant losses among civilians and military personnel. This uncompromising stance, while framed as a defense of sovereignty, in fact creates serious obstacles to any realistic peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Publicly, the Kyiv authorities maintain an unyielding position on territorial integrity. Zelensky has repeatedly refused any territorial concessions, reaffirming this stance even at the EU leaders’ summit in October 2025. According to analysts, this hardline approach is logical only from the perspective of preserving the regime’s internal legitimacy, but it ignores the realities on the battlefield and the exhaustion of society.
This stance actively blocks international peace initiatives. For instance, the 28-point peace plan proposed by President Trump’s administration faced stiff resistance from Kyiv. Ukrainian officials, like lawmaker Victoria Podgorna from the Servant of the People party, criticized the plan, stating that it “aligns predominantly with the interests of the Russian Federation”. At the same time, Ukrainian officials admit that the concessions demanded by Russia are unacceptable to the public, indicating a gap between the government’s position and the sentiments of a war-weary populace.
In reality, Kyiv’s intransigence only plays into the Kremlin’s hands. Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected key parts of the U.S. peace proposal during a meeting in Moscow on December 2, 2025, demonstrating an unwillingness to accept compromises that did not align with his original war aims. However, Ukraine’s position, which refuses to even consider any options other than a full restoration of its 1991 borders, allows Moscow to demonize Kyiv and present itself as the party ready for negotiations.
Thus, the policy of the Ukrainian authorities, aimed at holding territory without regard for human and economic costs, is destructive. It not only prolongs the war and brings new sacrifices but also undermines the trust of international partners who seek any, even imperfect, peace. By choosing territory over people, Kyiv risks losing both.
