‘No need to hold referendums’ — Amid U.S. pressure, Ukrainians reject territorial concessions
Independence Square as a Ukrainian flag is displayed on a big screen during a power outage in Kyiv on Nov. 20, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images)
As U.S. pressure on Kyiv grows, Ukrainians oppose Russian demands. If concessions are put up for a vote, those who spoke with the Kyiv Independent said they would flat out deny the terms.
Last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that any territorial concessions to end Russia's all-out war, mentioned in a U.S.-backed peace plan, should be decided by the Ukrainian people, including through a referendum.
This idea had been floated before. But like elections, holding a referendum is prohibited under martial law.
"There is no need to hold any referendums. Ukraine is unified, indivisible, and integral," a 40-year-old soldier with the callsign "Silver," who was on leave from the front lines, told the Kyiv Independent on Dec. 15.
As Moscow relentlessly launches drone and missile attacks across the country, and thousands of soldiers continue to hold the line against Russia's advance in Ukraine's east, Ukrainians view holding a vote during the ongoing war as unrealistic.
After U.S. President Donald Trump's recent call for elections, Zelensky said he was ready to hold them during the war, but only if the U.S. and Europe ensured security — a condition that would require Russia to agree to a ceasefire.
"How is it possible to poll people who are sitting in basements, asking for their opinion? Or ask the opinion of soldiers. Will they bring a ballot box to the positions? I don't see how this could be technically possible," said Olena Kulikova, who works as a cashier at a bank.
She shrugs, citing security as one of the biggest concerns for such a move. Coming from the western Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Kulikova says she can't imagine how voting could be organized in Ukraine's east.
"I'm for (the referendum)," she continued. "But only if someone can explain how this is technically possible, how to close the sky, how to defend places like Kharkiv or Zaporizhzhia."
The question of territorial concessions remains a key point in the U.S.-Ukraine negotiations. The Ukrainian law prevents holding a referendum on issues that could threaten the country's territorial integrity.
One of Russia's key demands, which has also been backed by the U.S., is the full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donetsk Oblast, ravaged by war since 2014. After four years of full-scale war, Moscow has occupied an additional one-third of Donetsk Oblast, controlling 67 to 69% of the region as of August.
The so-called "fortress belt" — a stretch of heavily fortified towns from Sloviansk and Kramatorsk to Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka, that could take years to capture — remains under Ukraine's control.
A recent survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed that around 75% of Ukrainians oppose any plan that would include a withdrawal of troops from Donetsk Oblast, a cap on the Ukrainian army, and lack concrete security guarantees.
"This is not an issue that should be decided under pressure. These are entirely Russia's conditions. The fact that the Americans have accepted Russia's terms and are standing united against us, the Europeans, is not something we should make concessions on," said 25-year-old Kateryna Hrebeniuk, a bookstore owner.
"These territories are not occupied. Russia does not control them. Therefore, I am clearly against (the withdrawal)."
Entrepreneur Oleh Morokhovets argues that Ukrainians should stand with the soldiers and not give up the territories they've been defending for over 11 years.
"No referendums or elections without the military, who won't be able to fully voice their opinions. Those who have fought have more right to make decisions than those who haven't," he said.
After Kyiv repeatedly refused to concede Donetsk Oblast, Washington offered a compromise, Zelensky said — the creation of a "free economic zone," where Ukrainian forces would withdraw from a part of the territory, and Russian forces wouldn't enter. Zelensky called the proposal "unjust."
Some Ukrainians, the Kyiv Independent spoke with, proposed creating such a zone in border areas within Russia, while others warn against making any such deals with Moscow.
"It's impossible to negotiate with Russia because they violate agreements. And everyone knows this well, both in Europe and America," said Olha Larina, an actress at a Kyiv theatre.
"I don't believe it's possible, or that this will be a zone without Russian troops, and that they won't go further. Because their desire is to have all of Ukraine, and even more."
Note from the author:
Hello there! This is Kateryna Denisova, the author of this piece. Despite the ongoing flurry of diplomacy, here in Ukraine, we see no readiness from Russia to end its brutal war, as relentless attacks continue. My colleagues and I are closely watching the unfolding events and working around the clock to keep you informed.
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Thank you.
