Ukraine won't recognize occupied territories as Russian as part of any peace deal, Zelensky says
Ukraine will not recognize any occupied territories as part of Russia under a potential future peace agreement with Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on March 12.
"We are fighting for our independence. Therefore, we will not recognize any occupied territories as Russia's. This is a fact," Zelensky said.
"Our people have fought for this, our heroes died. How many injured, how many passed. No one will forget about it... This is the most important red line. We will not let anyone forget about this crime against Ukraine."
Zelensky's comments come a day after Kyiv agreed to a 30-day ceasefire put forth by the U.S. during the talks between the two countries in Jeddah. Ukraine said it was ready to move forward with the ceasefire if Russia did the same.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later confirmed that Ukraine-U.S. talks in Saudi Arabia on March 11 included discussions about potential "territorial concessions" as part of a negotiated settlement with Russia.
The Trump administration has repeatedly said that both Kyiv and Moscow will have to make compromises for a peace deal, calling Ukraine's goal of restoring its pre-2014 borders "unrealistic."
Chris YorkRussian forces currently occupy roughly 20% of Ukraine, from where reports of systematic repression, torture, and forced deportations regularly emerge. While a ceasefire and peace deal could freeze the war along current front lines, Ukraine is unlikely to ever recognize Russian-occupied territories as legally part of Russia.
Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts are partially controlled by Russian troops. Russia claims to have annexed the whole territory of those regions in 2022 despite not controlling two regional capitals — Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Moscow also controls all of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.
When asked about sanctions or other steps to put pressure on Russia in case of violation of the ceasefire, Zelensky said that this move would depend on the U.S. side.d
"If they (Russians) are not ready (for a ceasefire), we do hope that the American side will demonstrate exactly what it said," the president added.
Senator Lindsey Graham called for sanctions against Russia if Moscow refuses from a proposed ceasefire. He promised to introduce new congressional sanctions targeting Russia and nations that continue to buy Russian goods, including oil, gas, and uranium.
In the past, Russia has ruled out a temporary ceasefire that would freeze the conflict along the current front lines. Russian nationalist voices and pro-war bloggers have already spoken out against the U.S.-backed proposal.
Andrea Januta
