The Atlantic: Zelensky will not trade Ukrainian territory for any deal with Russia

by Dartagnan

Community

(This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025 Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025 at 4:23:33pm PST

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy listens during a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

The Atlantic published this story earlier today.

www.theatlantic.com/...

Volodymyr Zelensky, in the next phase of talks to end the war in Ukraine, intends to draw a red line at the most contentious issue on the table: the Russian demand for Ukraine’s sovereign territory. As long as he remains the nation’s president, Zelensky will not agree to give up land in exchange for peace, Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Andriy Yermak, told me today in an exclusive interview.

"Not a single sane person today would sign a document to give up territory,” said Yermak, who has served as Zelensky’s chief of staff, lead negotiator, and closest aide throughout the full-scale war with Russia.

“As long as Zelensky is president, no one should count on us giving up territory. He will not sign away territory,” he told me by telephone from Kyiv. “The constitution prohibits this. Nobody can do that unless they want to go against the Ukrainian constitution and the Ukrainian people.”

On the question of land, Ukraine is prepared to discuss only where the line should be drawn to demarcate what the warring sides control. “All we can realistically talk about right now is really to define the line of contact,” Yermak said. “And that’s what we need to do.”

I apologize that I am not in a position to write this up any further this evening, but it seemed relevant enough to post here.

Of additional note, Yermak's resignation today does not appear to suggest any diminution of Ukraine's position on this issue.

As reported on Friday by the New York Times:

"I am grateful to Andriy for always representing Ukraine’s position in the negotiation track exactly as it should be represented,” Mr. Zelensky said in a video address announcing the resignation. He said he had accepted the resignation to “avoid rumors and speculation” about his chief of staff.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Slava Ukraini!