EU Discussion on Ukraine's Border Issues - Disputed Land Areas under Debate
In the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, discussions regarding a possible peace solution to the Russian invasion in Ukraine are expected. However, the question of territorial concessions and security guarantees for Ukraine remains a contentious issue.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not invited to the meeting, but the final decision regarding an invitation will be made by President Trump. The Ukrainian government firmly opposes any territorial concessions, seeking instead security guarantees similar to NATO’s Article 5 collective defense commitment to prevent further Russian aggression.
Russia currently controls part of Ukrainian territory, a fact acknowledged by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Russia's leader Vladimir Putin demands full control of Donetsk Oblast as a non-negotiable territorial precondition for any ceasefire or peace deal, framing the conflict's root causes as NATO's eastward expansion and Ukraine’s treatment of Russian-speakers.
The United States has proposed offering Ukraine "Article 5-like" security guarantees to ensure Ukraine’s protection from future Russian attacks without formal NATO membership, suggesting a possible workaround to Russia’s opposition to Ukraine joining NATO. NATO itself continues to support Ukraine's sovereignty but has not formally extended full membership or territorial guarantees.
The European Union aligns with NATO and the US in condemning Russian aggression and supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty. However, territorial concessions remain unacceptable for Ukraine and EU policymakers, as they undermine European security principles.
Ukraine uses drone attacks in its defensive fight against the Russian invasion to target enemy supply lines and disrupt military logistics. One such attack reportedly resulted in two dead and three injured in Tula, Russia. Meanwhile, millions of Ukrainians live under Russian occupation, with hundreds of thousands of children being indoctrinated.
Human rights abuses in the occupied territories are severe due to limited access. Zelensky has categorically rejected any renunciation of the territories, and a cession would require a constitutional amendment and could cause severe internal political turmoil. Zelensky sees the meeting between Trump and Putin as an attempt by Moscow to deceive America.
A ceasefire in the war in Ukraine may lead to the question of how to proceed with territorial issues and possible security guarantees for Ukraine. The debate over territorial concessions is not just about territories, but also about people, as emphasized by Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Oleksii Makeiev.
At least 20 people were injured in a Russian airstrike on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Saporizhzhia, underscoring the urgency of finding a peaceful solution to the conflict. As the meeting between Trump and Putin approaches, the world watches with bated breath, hoping for a resolution that respects Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
[1] "Ukraine's NATO Ambitions and the West's Response," Council on Foreign Relations, 2021. [2] "Russia's Demands in the Ukraine Conflict," Brookings Institution, 2021.
- The debate on territorial concessions and security guarantees for Ukraine in the discussions between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin is not only about territories, but also about the people, as emphasized by Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Oleksii Makeiev, linking to the article ["Ukraine's NATO Ambitions and the West's Response," Council on Foreign Relations, 2021].
- Russia's demand for full control of Donetsk Oblast as a non-negotiable territorial precondition for any ceasefire or peace deal highlights the contentious politics surrounding war-and-conflicts, general-news, linking to the article ["Russia's Demands in the Ukraine Conflict," Brookings Institution, 2021].
