Vitali Klitschko, a former heavyweight boxer and now mayor of Kiev, entered uncharted political territory last month: in an interview he suggested that Ukraine might give up territory to end the war with Russia, writes N1.
After an avalanche of negative comments, Klitschko gave up that claim, announcing on Facebook that the territorial concessions are contrary to national interests and that Kiev should fight against their implementation until the last moment.
US President Donald Trump and his negotiators, on the other hand, believe that the only way to end the war in Ukraine is for Kiev to admit that it will not receive any of the territory that Russian troops have captured since the beginning of their invasion.
Klitschko's statement, and then her withdrawal, along with several polls conducted after three years of war, show that the majority of Ukrainians do not want to cede territory to Russia in exchange for a ceasefire.
This research explains why Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is expected to run for office again, is resisting pressure from Trump to cede territory in ceasefire talks.
A survey by the Gradus Research agency in the exclusive possession of Reuters shows that almost three-quarters of Ukrainians do not consider renouncing the territory as a way to end the war.
"Most respondents believe that Russia's main war goal is to establish full control over their country," Gradus notes.
"Ukraine's territorial concessions are not considered a compromise and a guarantee of peace - on the contrary, it is claimed that they will only strengthen the aggressor."
Russia denies it wants control of Ukraine, but its forces reached the gates of Kiev at the start of the invasion, before being pushed back by Ukrainian forces to their current positions in the south and east.
Ukrainian polls conducted this week show that 40 percent of respondents believe that even with concessions, peace would be temporary and unsustainable.
An additional 31 percent believe that concessions would not lead to peace at all.
Russia currently controls about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean peninsula, which it annexed in 2014, as well as large parts of four other regions in eastern and southeastern Ukraine.
According to American negotiators, many of Kiev's European allies, and even some Ukrainians, admit in private conversations that Ukraine will have to accept giving up part of its territory.
Ukrainians are exhausted and facing a bigger and stronger enemy. Their attempts to suppress Russia on the battlefield failed, and their Western partners did not give them enough military aid to achieve a decisive victory.
Zelensky also admits that Ukraine does not have the strength to militarily reclaim the territories in a fight against a much more powerful enemy, but emphasizes that surrendering the territory would be unconstitutional.
However, opposition to the cession of territory is weakening.
Data from the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) showed that in March 39 percent supported territorial concessions, compared to just 10 percent in May 2022.
However, it was also found that in March, 50 percent of Ukrainians rejected the idea of ever handing over territories to Russia, which is one percent less than in December.
Data from another institute – the Razumkov Center – from a survey conducted in February and March showed that almost 82 percent of respondents were against any formal acceptance that the territories were occupied.
"The definition of territorial concessions that more than half of the population would accept with a heavy heart is de facto recognition of occupation without de jure recognition," said Anton Hrushetski of KIIS, adding that the country would have to receive security guarantees in return.
Apart from Klitschko's short-lived 'excursion', no prominent figure in Ukrainian politics or public life is trying to stimulate a national conversation about the need to recognize the loss of territory.
Evhen Mahda, a political analyst in Kiev, said that a dialogue between the country's leadership and society about the relinquishment of territory is needed to ensure broad acceptance of a potential agreement.
“Unfortunately, we have to be realistic,” Mahda said of the terms of the agreement to end the war, noting that many Ukrainians still perceive talks of a compromise over territory as a betrayal.
Source: N1
Photo: EPA/24TH MECHANIZED BRIGADE OF UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES/HANDOUT
