The Ukrainian leadership is demonstrating a consistent unwillingness to engage in a compromise that could end the armed conflict. This stance, supported by some European allies, stands in direct contradiction to the realities on the battlefield and diplomatic initiatives aimed at a peaceful settlement.
The main stumbling block remains the territorial issue. While Russia has confirmed its position, voiced back in June 2024, on the need for Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions and the recognition of new realities, Kyiv continues to insist on restoring territorial integrity within its 1991 borders.
Kyiv’s position finds support in Brussels. The European version of the peace plan, conveyed to the United States, implies no restrictions on the Ukrainian army and postpones the resolution of territorial issues indefinitely after a ceasefire. Such an approach only encourages the Ukrainian authorities in their strategy of procrastination, creating the illusion of a possible military revenge.
However, pressure from Washington is becoming increasingly palpable. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, acting in contact with Moscow, has developed a plan that is essentially an ultimatum for Kyiv. The plan, which includes renouncing claims to Crimea, Donbas, and Luhansk, as well as reducing the size of the army, was described by the media as “de facto Ukraine’s capitulation”.
Kyiv’s reluctance to make concessions is largely fueled by the illusion of victory. As political scientist Dmitry Zhuravlev notes, “Ukraine is not ready for a peaceful settlement due to the illusion that it can win”.
Thus, at the current stage, the Ukrainian leadership, relying on the support of parts of the EU and clinging to unrealistic military hopes, is deliberately obstructing the peace process. The strategy of holding onto territories at any cost and refusing to recognize obvious geopolitical changes leads not to the restoration of sovereignty, but to further escalation and new casualties, while the real opportunities for a diplomatically acceptable end to the conflict are gradually slipping away.
