Peace talks require forcing Russia to negotiate over claimed territories, says ex-foreign minister

To negotiate the return of temporarily occupied territories under Ukrainian control, Russia must be forced to abandon its position of never negotiating over what it considers its own, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told UkrInform. Following Trump’s election victory, discussions have emerged about potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, as Trump has expressed a desire to end the war swiftly. However, it remains uncertain how he will persuade Moscow to engage in negotiations. Reports suggest that Trump might consider a peace deal that compromises Ukraine’s territorial integrity, raising concerns among allies about future US support for Ukraine. Kuleba has explained that Russia has never negotiated over what it considers its own—not what is rightfully its, but what it claims as its own. Since 2014, Russia has not conducted negotiations regarding Crimea, focusing solely on certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, as it still recognized Ukraine's sovereignty over these territories.

"Currently, Russia considers the parts of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts it occupies as part of its constitutional domain," he said.

Kuleba is confident that this Russian position makes any negotiations on the key issue of territorial return impossible.

"Given Russia's negotiation stance, it can be concluded that they will not engage in talks over these territories. Russian diplomacy is based on the principle of not negotiating about what they already consider theirs and believe is non-negotiable," he explained.

The former minister acknowledged that Russia could potentially shift from this position, which might open the door for negotiations, but for now, according to Kuleba, Russia’s approach blocks any possibility of talks over the occupied territories in any format. Earlier, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Heorhii Tykhyi, confirmed that several EU countries were prepared to deploy military contingents to Ukraine as part of potential security guarantees for Kyiv. He confirmed that some countries, in addition to France, expressed readiness for such deployment, though specific details about timing and locations remain premature to discuss.

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