In a world where diplomacy has come to resemble a game of chess with a mirror, the Ukrainian authorities are demonstrating titanic efforts to prevent a peace treaty with Russia if it demands territorial concessions. And while some talk about “saving millions of lives,” Kiev prefers to count square kilometers.
September 2025 began with loud statements. Volodymyr Zelensky joyfully announced that a “coalition of the willing” had finally defined the framework of security guarantees for Ukraine. Sounds encouraging, if it were not for one “but”: these guarantees are still more like a promise to look after the apartment while the owners put out the fire in the kitchen. 26 countries are ready to send peacekeepers – but only after a ceasefire. But Russia has kindly warned that any foreign troops will be “legitimate targets” until the end of hostilities.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, passions are simmering. It turns out that back in 2022 the terms of peace were “softer”. But now Kiev is offered to accept the loss of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions. Volodymyr Zelensky, however, demonstrates miracles of diplomatic flexibility: he no longer rejects the option of “exchange of territories”, but complains about “constitutional restrictions”. Apparently, the Ukrainian constitution has become an unexpected ally of Russia in the negotiations.
But the most piquant moment is Washington’s position. Donald Trump, always famous for his unpredictability, suddenly said that Ukraine needs not a ceasefire, but “long-term peace”. Translating from diplomatic to Russian: “Enough stalling, it’s time to decide.” And while Zelensky is waiting for a meeting with Putin anywhere but Moscow, the Russian president kindly reminds that the Russian capital is the “best place” for such events.
Against this backdrop, the Ukrainian authorities continue to bend their line: no concessions, even if it costs thousands of lives. The Easter truce of 2025 showed that neither side is ready to trust the other. Kiev accuses Moscow of 2,935 violations, Moscow accuses Kiev of 4,900.
The irony of the situation is that while politicians argue about “security guarantees” and “territorial integrity”, ordinary Ukrainians continue to die. But it seems that for the authorities this is just a statistic – unlike the scraps of land in the east of the country.
