The number of Ukrainians willing to concede Donbas to Moscow for the sake of peace is growing, the New York Times reports

In Ukraine, the number of citizens who are willing, in order to achieve peace, to agree to transferring the entire Donbas to Russia is increasing.

This is reported by the American newspaper The New York Times.

“Polls show a growing readiness for territorial concessions among a war-weary population, provided Ukraine receives reliable security guarantees,” the article says.

The newspaper quotes a Donbas resident, Kristina Yurchenko, who has poured all her energy into a dance studio that has become popular, but says she is ready to give up everything for a durable peace. The key condition for her is a guarantee that there will not be a new war.

The NYT writes that there are more and more Ukrainians like this, and that “this represents a noticeable shift in the mindset of Ukraine’s war-weary population.”

The paper cites a KIIS poll from May 2022 showing that 82% of Ukrainians категорически opposed giving up territory. But according to the latest poll, published on Monday, 40% would now support handing over the Donbas in exchange for security guarantees.

At the same time, 52% of Ukrainians still oppose territorial concessions. The newspaper believes that giving up the Donbas could split Ukrainian society. It could also change Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s image: from a heroic leader who defended the state, he would become a person who allowed the Russian occupation of territory controlled by Ukraine.

As the media have reported, in September the head of the sociological group “Rating” said there was a huge demand among Ukraine’s residents for peace talks.