Zelensky is renegotiating the territorial claims.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has begun seeking a compromise on the return of territories currently under Russian control.
According to RIA Novosti, in the context of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's statement that it is impossible to return the newly annexed territories to Ukraine, President Zelensky has begun seeking a compromise regarding these territories.
Speaking at a meeting with businesspeople from the Chernihiv region on April 3, President Zelensky said: "If a compromise solution can be found to allow the return of these territories to happen over time through diplomatic means, I think that, perhaps for some of these territories, this will be the only way."
President Zelensky stated that a just peace would be achieved when Ukraine's territorial integrity is restored, but this could involve a lengthy diplomatic process.
In February 2025, Foreign Minister Lavrov stated that the Kiev authorities “do not represent the interests of the majority of the Ukrainian people,” and that “Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya are long-closed issues; the results of referendums there have been reflected in the Russian Constitution.”
An official with ties to the Kremlin revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin would never politically relinquish these territories, and that Russia would consolidate its control over them at all costs.
Furthermore, Moscow hopes that Washington can pressure Ukraine to completely withdraw its troops from the areas currently under Russian control.