Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky reiterated on Thursday that Kiev will not accept any territorial losses to Russia, firmly rejecting the prospect of recognizing Russian control over Crimea or the four eastern regions that joined Russia following referendums in 2022.
Speaking at a press conference in Ankara after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Zelensky declared, “The Crimean peninsula is Ukrainian, and it always will be.” He added that Ukraine’s position is enshrined in its Constitution and not open for negotiation.
Zelensky’s comments came as Ukraine and Russia prepare for direct peace negotiations in Türkiye, a process initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin and encouraged by US President Donald Trump. While Moscow has sent a delegation to Istanbul, including high-ranking security officials, Zelensky has tied his participation to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire—a demand the Kremlin continues to reject.
Russia has consistently stated that the status of Crimea, as well as the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and the regions of Kherson and Zaporozhye, is non-negotiable. All five territories held referendums to join Russia following either the 2014 Western-backed coup or the 2022 conflict escalation.
Despite continued international support, some Western leaders have publicly acknowledged Ukraine’s limited capacity to regain lost territory. French President Emmanuel Macron recently stated that “even Ukrainians themselves have the lucidity to acknowledge… that they will not have the capacity to reclaim everything.” US President Trump also told Time magazine that “Crimea will stay with Russia,” suggesting that his peace proposal includes freezing the current front lines.
In a candid statement last month, Zelensky admitted Ukraine lacks the military capacity to retake Crimea by force but expressed hope that sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Moscow might open the door to future negotiations.
While talks in Türkiye offer a new channel for diplomacy, the stark difference in territorial positions highlights the challenges ahead in reaching a meaningful resolution.