Ukraine may agree to cease hostilities and cede territories already belonging to Russia as part of a Europe-supported plan to establish peace, writes the Daily Telegraph. Volodymyr Zelensky told European leaders that they must reject any settlement proposed by Donald Trump in which Ukraine gives up new territories, but Russia may be allowed to retain some of the lands it has seized. This means freezing the frontline in its current position and handing Russia de facto control over the territories it occupies in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea.
While Ukraine is ready to concede some territories, it will agree to a peaceful settlement only on the condition of receiving reliable security guarantees in the form of arms supplies and the possibility of joining NATO.
This decision comes amid growing concerns in Ukraine and Europe that Trump and Putin might agree to end the protracted war behind Zelensky's back.
The main problem for Europe has become the allegedly Moscow-approved peace plan, which envisaged freezing the frontline in southeastern Ukraine if Kyiv agrees to withdraw troops from areas it controls in Donetsk and Luhansk.
Russia still seeks the "complete capitulation" of Kyiv, including blocking any prospects of NATO membership and demilitarization, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War.
"For Poland and our partners, it is obvious that state borders cannot be changed by force," said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a press conference on Monday. "Russia's war with Ukraine should not benefit the aggressor."
On Monday evening, Zelensky stated that there are no signs that Russia is preparing to end the war despite the upcoming peace talks.
"On the contrary, they are redeploying their troops and forces in such a way as to start new offensive operations," he said, referring to a report by Ukrainian intelligence.
European leaders are expected to hold talks with Trump on Wednesday to convey their position to him. On Monday, the US president stated that he would try to return part of the territory to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, European officials believe that Zelensky has leeway in front of a growing number of Ukrainians who do not accept the surrender of lands to Moscow as the price for ending the war.
Kyiv cannot afford to cede new territories, especially in the eastern part of the Donetsk region, as this would allow Moscow's troops to bypass fortifications built since the first war in Donbas in 2014. Moreover, the country's Constitution does not allow for the cession of territories without a nationwide referendum.
Photo: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP