Ukraine has struggled to make itself heard in international talks about its own future, initially being frozen out by Russia and the U.S.
Kyiv is more involved now, but is under huge pressure from Washington and Moscow to make galling concessions regarding its land and mineral wealth. American Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that Ukraine will have to agree to give up territory or the U.S. will walk away from mediating negotiations, adding that the conflict needs to be frozen on the current front lines.
The Americans have proposed recognizing Crimea — which Russia illegally annexed in 2014 — as Russian territory, with President Donald Trump on Wednesday posting exasperatedly about Ukraine’s hesitance to accept that demand. Washington’s take-it-or-leave-it plan also provides no security guarantees for Ukraine and would also allow Russia to operate the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which it captured in 2022, to sell energy to both Ukraine and Russia.
This plan has flabbergasted Ukrainian officials and MPs, who see it as a capitulation to an aggressor. “Ukraine is ready to negotiate, not surrender,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in a post on X.
“There will be no agreement that hands Russia the stronger foundations it needs to regroup and return with greater violence … We will never recognize the occupation of Crimea. And if NATO membership is not granted, Ukraine will require binding security guarantees — ones strong enough to deter future aggression, and clear enough to ensure lasting peace,” Svyrydenko said.
The opposition wants to know the details of how Zelenskyy and his government will ensure peace. “Ukrainians should learn about the progress of the negotiation process not from international media, Secretary of State Rubio, or special representatives Witkoff and Kellogg, but from the Ukrainian authorities,” Iryna Gerashchenko, a Ukrainian opposition MP from the European Solidarity party, said in a post on Facebook.