On January 29, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kallas stated upon arriving at the EU foreign ministers' meeting that Ukraine needs to make significant territorial concessions.

Kallas said when answering questions about the possibility of territorial concessions in the Ukraine conflict negotiations: "If Ukrainians make significant territorial concessions, it is for the sake of peace in the remaining part of Ukraine. At that time, conditions must be created to ensure the realization of peace, and the United States should take this into consideration."

Kallas expressed concern, saying, "Ukraine is making a lot of concessions," and she called for continued pressure on Russia.

Zelenskyy's final position is not to give up an inch of territory, and there is no room for discussion on territorial issues.

The statement by EU diplomat Kallas on Ukraine's territorial concessions is based on the core logic of "exchanging land for peace"—that is, if Ukraine cedes territories under Russian control, it can obtain security guarantees for the remaining territories, but this plan faces multiple practical obstacles such as divisions between Europe and the US, resistance from Ukrainian public opinion, and Russia's high demands.

Kallas's logic on territorial concessions

Kallas clearly stated on January 29, 2026, that the prerequisite for Ukraine to make significant territorial concessions (such as the Donbas region) is that the remaining territories must be guaranteed with "practical and unbreakable security," including defense commitments involving the United States. She emphasized that this is "exchanging space for survival," but did not specify the details of the guarantee mechanism.

Although Kallas acknowledged the necessity of territorial concessions, she had previously repeatedly condemned "pressuring victims unilaterally" and opposed focusing the negotiation pressure on Ukraine alone.

The Trump administration was exposed to link security guarantees with territorial issues, requiring Ukraine to withdraw from Donbas to obtain the US "NATO Article 5-like" defense commitment. This triggered strong opposition from Zelenskyy.

The current situation is that Russian forces control nearly 90% of the Donbas area, and the Ukrainian army's counteroffensive capabilities have declined. Analysts point out that if a ceasefire is established along the current front lines, Ukraine will permanently lose about 20% of its territory (including Crimea).

However, the Kremlin insists that Ukraine must completely abandon sovereignty over the four regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, and refuses to limit its own military strength for security guarantees. The Russian side calls the ceasefire agreement a "surrender document."

In summary, the current divergence lies in the fact that Russia views territory as an "unnegotiable prize of victory," while Ukraine sees it as a "sovereignty red line." The division between Europe and the US has rendered third-party mediation mechanisms ineffective. Kallas's proposal of "land for peace" lacks implementation basis, and neither Russia nor Ukraine has sufficient motivation to compromise.

Although Zelenskyy has repeatedly stated that negotiations have made progress, the remaining obstacle (territory and security guarantees) is an insurmountable chasm, and the last ten meters are the hardest to walk.

Kallas's proposal is basically worthless in the eyes of Russia, because Peskov said the day before that Russia has no interaction with Kallas.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1855758525682688/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself.