Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says preventing territorial concessions to Russia remains the most difficult and sensitive obstacle in ongoing negotiations over a United States-backed plan to end the war. His comments followed a high-level meeting in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron and representatives from several European governments.
Speaking during a joint press conference on Monday, Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine will not agree to any settlement that legitimises Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian land. “Our biggest challenge is the territorial issue,” he said. “We cannot allow any outcome that rewards the war Russia started.”
Paris Talks Intensify Diplomatic Push for Peace
Officials from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom joined the discussions in Paris. The group also held calls with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who—along with former senior adviser Jared Kushner—is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. These meetings mark an escalation in global efforts to find a workable framework to end the conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Zelenskyy said Monday’s discussions also reviewed the content of talks held the previous day between Ukrainian and American officials in the US. Additional rounds of negotiations are expected to take place across Europe in the coming weeks.
French President Macron emphasised that Ukraine must be free to determine its own borders and that no peace plan should be imposed on Kyiv. He also suggested that Europe and Washington will continue coordinating on possible long-term security guarantees for Ukraine if a deal eventually emerges.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni echoed the call for unity, praising Zelenskyy’s “consistently constructive approach” and expressing hope that Russia would make a “concrete contribution” to future diplomatic efforts.
Territorial Disputes: The Core Sticking Point
The question of territory threatens to widen divisions between allies, especially as US diplomats prepare to present a peace proposal to Moscow. Ukranian officials have repeatedly said they will not accept any arrangement that requires the country to surrender its sovereign land.
Speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic, Zelenskyy’s adviser Rustem Umerov said Kyiv made its position clear to Washington. “It is unacceptable for Russia to continue occupying our territory and then demand that we grant it legitimacy,” he said. “Giving up our territory would mean international law no longer exists, and that any state can use force to erase another’s sovereignty.”
Umerov added that negotiations over security guarantees remain complex, since Ukraine seeks assurances that protect both Ukrainian and European security. He described the coming diplomatic period as “extremely difficult”, arguing that Moscow still believes continuing the war is less costly than ending it.
Reporting from Brussels, Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra said European Union leaders insist that no major concessions be made to Russia. According to EU officials, any future land-related arrangements—such as possible land swaps—must be determined solely by the Ukrainian people.
Tensions grew after a draft US peace plan was leaked in mid-November. The proposal faced harsh criticism in Kyiv and across Europe for provisions seen as heavily favouring Moscow. These included:
- capping the Ukrainian military at 600,000 troops,
- permanently banning Ukraine from joining NATO,
- and allowing Russia to retain occupied territories.
Russian Missile Strikes Kill Four in Dnipro
As diplomatic activity intensified, Ukraine endured another deadly Russian attack. Local officials confirmed that at least four people were killed in a missile strike on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Monday.
Authorities said 43 people were injured, including ten in critical condition. The strike damaged an administrative building, several businesses, four educational institutions, multiple high-rise apartment blocks, two service stations, and more than fifty vehicles.
Dnipro—located roughly 100km (62 miles) from the front line and once home to nearly one million residents—has frequently been the target of Russian bombardments.
Conflicting Battlefield Claims
Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed on Monday that its forces had “liberated” the settlement of Klynove in the Donetsk region and had advanced deeper into Ukrainian defensive lines. Ukrainian officials rejected the assertion, saying their forces continue to hold their positions.
Moscow also claimed that Ukraine lost around 1,415 troops in the previous 24 hours. Kyiv, for its part, reported eliminating 1,060 Russian troops, one tank, six armoured vehicles, 14 artillery systems, 239 drones, and 71 vehicles during the same period.
Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify battlefield casualty figures reported by either side.
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