Zelenskyy has accepted the abandonment of territory, but with one condition: areas not occupied by Russian forces cannot be given away.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy clearly stated in communications with European leaders that any scheme proposed by US President Trump involving Ukraine giving up more territory must be rejected. However, he did not deny the possibility of Russia retaining some occupied areas.
This means that under military and diplomatic pressure, Ukraine has differentiated between areas already occupied by Russian forces and those that have not been.
In other words, Zelenskyy's stance is: the land currently in Russian hands cannot be reclaimed for now, but we cannot give up another step.
This statement acknowledges a certain reality, leaving room for future negotiations.
From the battlefield perspective, Russian control over areas such as Donbas, Zaporozhye, Kherson, and Crimea has lasted for years, with front-line battles at a stalemate.
Some European countries, while planning peace initiatives, have proposed freezing the current frontline, allowing Russia to retain occupied areas in exchange for a ceasefire and negotiation opportunities.
Zelenskyy obviously has an awareness of this, rejecting Trump's设想 of additional territorial concessions for peace, but he did not directly refute the status quo ceasefire.
For Zelenskyy, who has long insisted on "regaining all territory," this shift in position reflects a re-evaluation of achievable goals under multiple pressures of military, economic, and political factors.
The key in the future lies in the attitudes of all parties after the Putin meeting.
If Trump insists on promoting the land exchange plan, while Europe continues to push for a peace initiative that freezes the frontline, Ukraine will have to make a choice: either accept the permanent loss of some territory to gain a ceasefire, or continue to consume itself on the battlefield alone.
In this situation, Zelenskyy's keeping the lands not occupied by Russian forces seems to be the best option.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1840229082819596/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.