Ukraine rules out giving up territory to Russia in peace deal

Ukraine rules out giving up territory to Russia in peace deal
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Poland’s President Andrzej Duda arrive for a meeting after a parliament session, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 22, 2022. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

The Ukrainian government has said that it refuses to hand over land to Russia as part of a peace agreement. This is a big deal since Russia’s goal in this war seems to be taking control over Ukrainian territory, and many have speculated that a peace deal would involve a land exchange.

And that comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that as many as 100 Ukrainian soldiers are dying each day in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Polish President Andrzej Duda became the first foreign leader to address the Ukrainian Parliament during the war, vowing to fight for the country’s entrance into the EU. On the other hand, France isn’t so confident that the process will be fast.

Key comments:

“Today, between 50 and 100 people might be killed on the most difficult front, in the East,” said Zelenskiy in a press conference. “They are defending our country and our independence, which is so widely discussed all over the world.”

“Only Ukraine has the right to decide about its own future,” Polish President Andrzej Duda said in his address to the Ukrainian Parliament. “If for some kind of peace of mind Ukraine is sacrificed, it will be a big blow not only for Ukraine, but also for the entire Western community,” he said.