Zelenskyy Reveals US Push for Territorial Concessions in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed on December 11, 2023, that the United States is advocating for significant territorial concessions from Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelenskyy stated that Washington’s proposal involves Ukraine withdrawing its troops from parts of the Donetsk region while allowing Russian forces to maintain their positions in southern Ukraine and elsewhere.

The framework put forward by the United States suggests establishing a demilitarized “free economic zone” as a buffer between Ukrainian and Russian forces. This plan also indicates that Moscow would retain control over territories it has not formally annexed in northern Ukraine. Despite these discussions, Zelenskyy’s comments highlight a lack of fundamental shifts in Washington’s stance since it presented a 28-point plan that heavily favored Russian interests last month.

Zelenskyy elaborated on the ongoing negotiations, noting, “We have two key points of disagreement: the territories of Donetsk and everything related to them, and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. These are the two topics we continue to discuss.” He expressed skepticism regarding the US proposal, emphasizing that it envisions Ukrainian forces vacating the Donetsk region while Russian troops remain, effectively transforming the area into a designated economic zone.

The Ukrainian president has consistently maintained that he lacks both a “constitutional” and “moral” mandate to surrender any Ukrainian territory. He underscored the necessity for the Ukrainian populace to have a voice in such critical decisions, stating, “I believe that the people of Ukraine will answer this question. Whether through elections or a referendum, there must be a position from the people of Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy challenged the notion of a unilateral Ukrainian withdrawal from Donetsk, questioning, “Why doesn’t the other side of the war pull back the same distance in the other direction?” He indicated that numerous unresolved issues still linger in the negotiations.

Under the proposed US plan, Russia would relinquish territory it has captured in the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk regions—areas over which Moscow has not made formal claims. In 2022, Russia claimed to have annexed the Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, despite lacking full control over these territories. Currently, Ukrainian forces hold approximately one-fifth of the Donetsk region, according to analysis from the Institute for the Study of War.

The conflict has devastated much of eastern and southern Ukraine, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties and displacing millions. Russia, leveraging its numerical superiority in manpower and weaponry, has continued its aggressive advances on the battlefield. Recent reports indicate that Russian forces captured the town of Siversk in the Donetsk region, marking their fastest pace of progress in a year.

In parallel, Ukraine’s European allies convened for a video conference on December 11 to deliberate on the latest proposals. United States President Donald Trump has sought to centralize negotiations, often sidelining European partners in favor of direct engagements with Kyiv and Moscow through his envoys, including Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Trump stated that the US would send a representative to participate in talks in Europe over the weekend, contingent upon the potential for meaningful progress on a ceasefire agreement. “We’ll see whether or not we attend the meeting,” Trump said during a press briefing in the Oval Office. “We’ll be attending the meeting on Saturday in Europe if we think there’s a good chance. And we don’t want to waste a lot of time if we think it’s negative.”

Zelenskyy clarified that while there is no strict timeline for finalizing an agreement, the United States aims to outline the framework by Christmas. He noted that there were no specific ultimatum-like constraints but emphasized that Washington “genuinely wanted, and perhaps still wants, to have a full understanding by Christmas of where we are with this agreement.”

Despite the diplomatic efforts, Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about Russia’s intentions, stating, “In my view, they need a pause. They need it, but they’re not taking it. I don’t see any sign that they want to end the war.” As discussions continue, the humanitarian crisis and the search for a resolution remain at the forefront of international attention.