The return of all territories by Ukraine is no longer a top priority for Kyiv – The New York Times

The return of all captured territories is no longer Ukraine’s primary focus in Kyiv.

This is reported by The New York Times, citing statements from a senior Ukrainian official.

“The territorial issue is extremely important, but it is still a secondary issue. The most important thing is security guarantees,” said the official.

He added that security guarantees, rather than land, are the most challenging aspect of any peace agreement.

Additionally, the senior Ukrainian official stated that Kyiv wants to ensure that any ceasefire line does not hinder the country’s post-war economic recovery, such as leaving industrial areas too insecure for investment.

The width of the demilitarized zone—a buffer area between the two armies—will also be a key factor, according to another official.

It is worth noting that these statements by unnamed Ukrainian officials, indicating that Kyiv is willing to accept the de facto loss of captured regions if it gains security guarantees, contradict the official positions of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak, who maintain that any territorial compromises with Russia are unacceptable.

Regarding security guarantees, Ukrainian authorities continue to push for an official invitation for Ukraine to join NATO. However, even before the presidential elections, the United States had refused such requests. Following the elections, media reports began to surface about Trump’s “peace plan,” which would reportedly impose a 20-year moratorium on Ukraine’s NATO membership.