Russia says Ukraine must recognize ‘territorial reality’ for peace

A senior Russian official said on Thursday that Moscow would respond positively if Kiev was ready to resume peace talks, but that the Ukraine must accept the “territorial realities” of the situation. The information is from the Interfax news agency.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Andrey Rudenko, said Kiev must provide a clear response to Moscow’s proposals that Ukraine accept “non-alignment” and “non-nuclear” status to reach a peace agreement.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy would also have to recognize Russia’s control over Crimea and the status of breakaway “people’s republics” in Donetsk and Luhansk, Interfax reported.

Negotiations on a possible peace deal have stalled since attempts at rounds of talks between the two sides were halted just weeks after the conflict erupted.

Ukraine will not give up territory for peace with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Wolf Blitzer of CNN last Thursday (7), that Ukraine is not willing to cede any of its land to Russia, remaining firm that a concession of Ukrainian territory will not be part of any diplomatic negotiation to end the war.

“Ukrainians are not ready to give away their land, to accept that these territories belong to Russia. This is our land,” Zelensky said in an exclusive interview broadcast Thursday on “The Situation Room” of CNN .

“We’ve always talked about it and we intend to prove it,” he added.

Russia’s war with Ukraine has now lasted more than four months, with no sign of either side pulling back anytime soon.

Ukraine’s early successes forced Russia to scale back its initial goals of overthrowing Kiev, and Moscow’s forces now focused on taking territory in eastern Ukraine. Russian forces have already occupied most of the Luhansk region, outside of some pockets of resistance, and are putting pressure on the cities of Donetsk.

THE CNN reported earlier this month that White House officials are losing confidence that Ukraine will be able to regain all the land it has lost to Russia since the start of the war, even with the help of heavier and more sophisticated weaponry than the US. United States and its allies plan to supply Kiev.

Zelensky acknowledged that Russia controls “almost the entire Luhansk region”, saying its forces are now “fighting on the outskirts of this region”. He said Kiev retreated to avoid massive troop losses.

“I don’t even understand what exactly they’re controlling there. They ruined cities, schools. Are they the occupants of the rubble?” Zelensky said.

Asked if the war could end before the end of the year, Zelensky said: “Our country will remain united and unified. If our partners’ mighty weaponry arrives in time, and if good luck and God is on our side, we can achieve many things before the end of the year and we can stop this war. We can stop the military part, at least, of this war.”