Zelenskyy quickly clarifies: Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory is not 25%
Just days after stating Ukraine would retain 75% of its territory, Zelenskyy has reversed course.
On the 23rd, in an interview, Zelenskyy asserted that Kyiv would never accept any proposal involving the cession of 25% of its land, emphasizing that Russia currently controls only 19.3% of Ukrainian territory.
On a literal level, this statement presents a contradiction, as just days earlier he had indicated willingness to pursue a ceasefire based on retaining 75% of Ukraine’s territory.
While Zelenskyy maintains that his ultimate objective remains the freezing of the conflict, the proposal to retain 75% effectively amounts to de facto recognition that another 25% of Ukrainian land lies under Russian control.
Thus, his current assertion that Russia controls only 19.3% of Ukrainian territory appears more like a strategic recalibration.
It is possible that Russia’s actual control over Ukrainian territory falls short of 25%. However, if one adheres strictly to Zelenskyy’s framing—Ukraine retaining 75% of its land—then even a frozen status quo could be interpreted as implying a Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas, with the 25% figure achieved solely by the removal of Ukrainian forces from the region.
As such, unless Zelenskyy retracts or amends his earlier statement, Russia may seize upon this discrepancy as leverage to demand a full withdrawal from Donbas.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1880018976036864/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the views of the author alone