Territory Remains the Critical Roadblock in Russia-Ukraine Peace Negotiations

Last week, President Zelensky identified the territorial question as the "most difficult" challenge in peace negotiations.

The territorial dispute remains the "most problematic" aspect in discussions aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to an official familiar with the negotiations who spoke to AFP on Monday. This revelation comes as President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares for meetings with European allies in London following talks between US and Ukrainian representatives.

Ukrainian negotiators recently engaged in multiple discussions with US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, in Miami. These meetings aimed to revise a draft US peace plan that initially contained many proposals similar to Russian President Vladimir Putin's core demands for conflict resolution.

"The territorial issue continues to be the most problematic. Putin refuses to enter any agreement without territorial concessions. Negotiators are exploring various options that would result in Ukraine ceding territory," stated the anonymous official involved in the process.

The source also revealed that American diplomats are pushing for a rapid resolution. "The Americans are applying pressure, saying 'faster, faster, faster,'" the official added, while explaining that Ukraine "cannot agree to everything without thoroughly examining the details."

In London, Zelensky's agenda includes meetings with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the ongoing negotiations.

The Ukrainian President is also scheduled to travel to Brussels for discussions with European Union leaders and NATO defense alliance representatives on Monday.

Before returning to office, President Donald Trump had claimed he would resolve the conflict within "24 hours," but after months of diplomatic efforts, he has acknowledged that reaching an agreement is more complex than initially anticipated.

Last week, Zelensky described the territorial question as the "most difficult" aspect of negotiations. He has consistently rejected any territorial concessions, arguing that such compromises would effectively represent Kyiv's surrender.

Russia is demanding that Ukraine withdraw from approximately one-fifth of the eastern Donetsk region, territory that Moscow has not yet fully captured but where Russian forces are advancing at their fastest rate in a year.

Eastern Ukraine has experienced devastating consequences since Russia's invasion in February 2022, with tens of thousands of casualties and millions of residents forced to flee their homes.