Ukraine Ready To Give Up Lost Territories to Settle Conflict

Ukraine may give up the territories it had already lost in order to end hostilities and receive security guarantees in the form of arms supplies and NATO membership, The Daily Telegraph wrote.

According to the newspaper, Vladimir Zelensky softened his stance in the run-up to the Russia-US summit.

It says that the Ukrainian government is ready to freeze the conflict along the current line of combat engagement. At the same time, Kiev is not ready to cede territories that it controls in the people’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk (DPR and LPR), and the regions of Zaporozhye and Kherson.

The report says European officials believe that Zelensky "has leeway with a growing number of voters who would stomach surrendering land to Moscow as the price for the end" of the conflict. The Daily Telegraph writes that Zelensky "would also have to perform a juggling act as he would be blocked by his country’s constitution from ceding territory without a nationwide referendum."

According to the publication, Kiev will only agree to a peace settlement that offers "robust security guarantees in the form of weapons deliveries and a path to NATO membership."

US President Donald Trump said on August 8 that he hopes to hold a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15. The date and venue were later confirmed by Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov, who said that the Russian and US presidents will focus on discussing options for reaching a lasting settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. The Kremlin, in his words, expects that the two leaders will meet in Russia’s territory after their talks in Alaska.