this post was submitted on 09 Dec 2025
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reaffimed his firm refusal to cede any territory, resisting U.S. pressure for a painful compromise with Russia as he continued to rally European support for Ukraine.

“Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories. We, clearly, don’t want to give up anything. That’s what we are fighting for,” Zelenskyy said in a WhatsApp chat late Monday in which he answered reporters’ questions.

“Do we consider ceding any territories? According to the law we don’t have such right. According to Ukraine’s law, our constitution, international law, and to be frank, we don’t have a moral right either.”

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[–] tired_n_bored@lemmy.world 26 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Europe should stop acting like Trump is a reasonable person. He is not. And he is a Russian asset.

[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 8 points 6 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Europe should stop acting like Trump is a reasonable person.

I'm pretty sure they are aware.

I suspect they're hoping there are still some sane heads in Washington.

[–] 7101334@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I don't know if "sane" is the right way to describe the historical MO of the US Government with or without Trump, but I know what you mean. I think.

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[–] emax_gomax@lemmy.world 18 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (3 children)

Isnt this how russia took crimea. What makes anyone believe this'll be the last time.

[–] falseWhite@lemmy.world 9 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

And wasn't Trump bitching about how Obama allowed Russia to take over Crimea? Yet he's doing the same, even worse right now. But of course it's hardly news to any sane person that he is a two faced lying hypocritical bitch.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Don't forget that 20% of Georgias internationally recognized borders are held by Russia as well, taken when Bush was President.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Ukraine still officially contests Crimea. It hasn't been surrendered.

But there's also no real expectation Ukraine can retake the territory in their current position. And the longer the war drags on, the more territory they're in a position to lose.

[–] MrMakabar@slrpnk.net 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

The war is currently seeing a very very slow Russian advance, but Ukraine seems to finally be able to strike the Russian economy. The drone attacks against the Russian oil industry are certainly new and increase the cost of war for Russia. Germany lost WW1 without a hostile soldier on its original territory for example.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

Ukraine seems to finally be able to strike the Russian economy.

I've been hearing this line since 2022. For all the sanctions and sabotage, Russia still seems pegged to the Petrodollar and continues to chug along as well as any OPEC state.

Meanwhile, there's no introspection on the Ukrainian economy or how another year of war will affect them.

Germany lost WW1 without a hostile soldier on its original territory for example.

And famously never recovered, leaving the UK and France to command Europe uncontested for the next century.

:-/

Listen, I want a Winter Palace Coup as much as any NAFO-head, but you can only claim you're winning at the Somme for so long before people start learning to count the body bags.

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[–] Microtonal_Banana@lemmy.zip 17 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Zelensky should ask Trump how much American land he is willing to give Putin.

[–] LifeLikeLady@lemmy.world 13 points 6 days ago

That's easy. All of it.

[–] SethTaylor@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago

Well, he's already let ol' man Vlad sniff around Alaska, so...

[–] DylanMc6@lemmy.ml 14 points 6 days ago

zelenskyy is making the right call. good. seriously!

[–] TwinTitans@lemmy.world 7 points 6 days ago

Elbows up brother. We got you. 🇨🇦

[–] bigmamoth@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

i dont think he have a choice at that point. European leader dont hold any weight in that matter. They love to have their picture with him cause it give them a picture of politician that are in control but they arent. Even with all the money in the world ukraine can't win. They dont have enough men and even if they send women they wont be enough. The ue is actually already paying a big chunk of ukraine spending and ukraine got recently hit by a big financial/corruption scandal. No european that is abble to fight want to fight for ukraine. It s over for them and zelensky at the moment an election is held he's out. Is it fair or just ? no but life is like that. And seeing a lot of people that are convince they can send their support are disconected from the reality. About that, ukraine still recruit military personal, so put your boot where your mouth it. Just have to say u will be consider as a mercenary so geneva convention and lot of shit won't apply to you, anyway won't change much cause it s not like either side respect it.

[–] Restform@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (3 children)

There are definitely people in Europe willing to fight, but joining the Ukrainian military as a foreign legion fighter or mercenary is not the same as joining the war with your own government, like you say. And saying the EU holds no weight in the matter is crazy when the EU is single handedly supporting Ukraine right now without US support for the last year.

And ceding territory is simply not an option for Zelensky, he would be overthrown the minute he tried. It's a very difficult position for him.

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[–] PixelatedSaturn@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I think that's the wrong narrative.

I don't think anyone really cares much about that land. It's s mixture of mud, plastic drone remains and unexploded munitions. It's important because the defence line is there. Many people say it's rich in minerals... a lot of land is in a lot of places. Nobody is going to use this land for mining, not at any time soon.

The narrative should be security guarantees.

Because when the news says: Zelensky doesn't want to ceed land, it implies some kind of pride and stubbornness. But in reality Ukraine wants security guarantees and they would be willing to not militarily contest Crimea and even Donbas. There is no point in ceeding anything were there no guarantees. But if you get them, then a lot is on the table.

The point is it the news and everyone goes with security guarantees narrative it is a much stronger narrative: you want to exist, the enemy doesn't want you to exist. Instead of taking about land where it can all sound like it bickering about who gets what. Perception matters. A lot of Europeans don't know any the details of this war and most Americans have no clue. The narrative is important.

I got deleted from another channel "Ukraine" for this view and got called a lot of bad words and I don't know why. It's not an extreme view and I think Ukrainian government sees it like that as well.

[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 2 points 6 days ago (2 children)

I see it as a world litmus test for law versus force. If you get invaded and you let them take your land, no matter what it's "worth", you have been conquered.

[–] Restform@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

It's not even that philosophical. It really is just the simple fact that Ukraine has nothing to gain by forfeiting it's most reinforced defensive line. It took Russian 2 years to advance 30 kilometers, and tens of thousands of fatalities, to capture the relatively small town of Pokrovsk. It's incredibly expensive for Russia to make even small advancements, and now they want the most reinforced territory in the country for free?

It's a crazy demand that depends on Ukraine TRUSTING the US to come to its defence after Russia breaks the treaty, after forfeiting their defensive lines.

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[–] PixelatedSaturn@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

There are people there that just want a normal life. Conquered or not, that doesn't mean anything compared to not being bombed while they are playing with their kids.

[–] Sepia@mander.xyz 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

while they are playing with their kids.

Life under Russian occupation: ‘Being Ukrainian – or even talking about Ukraine – puts your life at risk’

Sexual and gender-based violence, murder, abductions – including of children – and the Russification of the Ukrainian population. In the areas illegally occupied by Russia, its troops are guilty of the large-scale perpetration of terrible cruelties and war crimes.

Or:

Life in Russia-occupied Ukraine: Terror, secret phones and a ban on the Ukrainian language

You find much more on life in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and it is far from what you apparently believe it is.

[–] PixelatedSaturn@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

I think you completely misunderstood.

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