Kyiv Mayor Klitschko suggests Ukraine might need to concede territory to achieve peace
Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, has suggested that Ukraine might have to contemplate ceding territory as part of a peace agreement with Russia, as international pressure—particularly from U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump—mounts for a negotiated settlement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) and his US counterpart Donald Trump clashed at the White House in February"One of the scenarios is… to give up territory. It's not fair. But for the peace, temporary peace, maybe it can be a solution, temporary," Klitschko.
Despite the possibility of territorial compromise, the former world boxing champion emphasized that Ukrainians would "never accept occupation" by Russia.
His comments came shortly after a deadly missile and drone strike on Kyiv killed 12 people and injured more than 80—one of the deadliest attacks on the capital in recent months.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Moscow has occupied approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory. Klitschko’s remarks mark one of the most senior-level acknowledgments from a Ukrainian official that some form of territorial concession, even temporary, might need to be considered to end the war.
Klitschko, a long-time political rival of President Volodymyr Zelensky, also criticized the handling of internal communications, stating that key decisions should be made away from the public eye. He clarified that he has not been involved in any current negotiations and that Zelensky alone manages such matters.
Speaking from his office in central Kyiv to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Klitschko described the capital as "the heart" of the country and admitted that President Zelensky may ultimately face a "painful solution" in pursuit of peace.
Tensions between Zelensky and Trump have intensified, particularly after a heated exchange during their February meeting at the White House. Earlier this week, Trump accused Zelensky of obstructing peace talks by refusing to recognize Russian sovereignty over Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014.
Trump declared that Crimea “was lost years ago” and should no longer be a topic of negotiation. Zelensky, however, referred to a 2018 statement by then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, reaffirming America’s rejection of Russia’s annexation.
Ukrainian and European leaders have recently voiced concern over Trump’s apparent shift towards a more conciliatory stance with the Kremlin.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko visited the site of a building damaged by a Russian missile strike on Thursday
