As the war drags on, the possibility of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia continues to surface. But the real question is: what concessions, if any, could President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian people accept without undermining the country’s sovereignty?
Earlier this week, Zelensky joined President Donald Trump and several European leaders at the White House to discuss potential peace talks with Vladimir Putin. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, efforts to broker a ceasefire have repeatedly failed because both sides remain divided on core issues.
For Ukraine, the sticking points are security guarantees, NATO membership, and territorial integrity. For Russia, the demands have been maximalist continued control over Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea, along with Ukraine agreeing not to join NATO.
Many analysts believe those terms are almost impossible for Zelensky to accept. While polls suggest public support for continuing the war has dropped, Ukrainians are unlikely to back a peace deal that surrenders sovereignty or legitimizes Russian annexations.
Historians like Matthew Pauly argue that Zelensky might agree to temporary Russian control over some occupied regions but would not legally recognize annexation. He points out that what Moscow calls a “land swap” is misleading: Russia isn’t offering to give up anything of its own it’s demanding land it has taken by force but failed to fully secure militarily.
On security guarantees, experts stress that details matter. A vague promise “like NATO” doesn’t carry the same weight as NATO membership itself. International affairs professor Mai’a Cross notes that joining NATO may not happen during the war, but Ukraine will want to keep the door open for the future to prevent another Russian invasion.
Another challenge is public sentiment. Zelensky remains popular, but he has to balance Ukrainian lives, economic survival, and national pride. Some observers suggest that while Ukrainians might accept the temporary loss of land, they will not give up their right to self-determination or NATO aspirations. Others compare ceding territory now to the fatal mistake of appeasement in 1938, when Czechoslovakia gave up the Sudetenland to Nazi Germany.
Crimea is its own complicated case. Many analysts doubt it will ever return to Ukraine, but admitting that openly would weaken Zelensky’s negotiating position before talks even begin.
Former diplomats and policy experts also warn that Putin’s current stance doesn’t suggest he is genuinely seeking peace. Rather, they argue he may be trying to buy time, prolong the conflict, and wear down Ukraine and its allies. Unless Russia faces a serious defeat on the battlefield or a collapse of its economy, Moscow may only accept peace if it gets everything it wants or if it sees negotiations as a stepping stone toward eventual Ukrainian capitulation.
For now, Trump is pushing for direct talks between Zelensky and Putin. Whether that leads to real concessions or simply another stalemate remains uncertain. What is clear is that Ukraine will resist any settlement that forces it to give up its sovereignty.
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