Zelensky Acknowledges Ukraine Lacks the Military Strength to Reclaim Russian-Occupied Territories

As the year comes to a close, discussions about potential peace negotiations are gaining momentum. General Kellog, U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s Ukraine envoy, is planning a trip to Kiev even before the inauguration.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to make headlines with a mix of realistic admissions and propaganda statements. Yesterday, he acknowledged that Ukraine lacks the military strength to reclaim territory conquered by Russia. However, he firmly stated that Kiev would not recognize these territories as part of Russia.

“Legally, we cannot give up our territories. This is prohibited by the constitution. But let’s not use such big words. Russia actually controls part of our territory today,” Zelensky said, addressing a question about how far Kiev is willing to compromise to end the war following Moscow’s February 2022 full-scale invasion.

Zelensky’s comments continued with a blend of pragmatism and rhetoric: “If today we don’t have the strength to win back all of our territory, maybe the West will find the strength to put Putin in his place … at the [negotiating] table and diplomatically deal with this war,” he said. He also lamented that Ukraine could be in a different situation if the West had provided all the support it initially requested.

On the issue of territorial concessions, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine would never recognize its occupied areas as part of Russia, describing such an acknowledgment as a form of surrender to Moscow’s ambitions: “This is not about compromise. This means he [Putin] will get away with everything again. This is impossible.”

Russian forces have made significant territorial gains in 2024, capturing more than 190 settlements, with progress continuing in Donetsk, Kharkov, Kherson, and Zaporozhie. According to Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState, Russia now controls around 18% of Ukrainian territory (111,677 square kilometers), including Crimea and parts of the Donbas region, which have been under Russian control since 2014.

With Ukrainian forces struggling to regain ground, the ongoing territorial losses raise concerns. Additionally, four Ukrainian regions—Zaporozhie, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson—have voted to join the Russian Federation. In response, President Vladimir Putin warned that Kiev would have to withdraw from these regions to begin peace negotiations.