A silent Western retreat emerges as officials admit Ukraine cannot reclaim Russian-held regions.
European officials are quietly admitting what Moscow has said all along: Ukraine will likely have to surrender its claims over Russian-held territories if any real peace is to be achieved.
During recent meetings with negotiators from France, Germany, Finland, Italy, and the UK, even Kiev’s own envoy heard the message; a lasting ceasefire is impossible without territorial concessions.
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has already warned his nation to prepare for such an outcome. In Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has openly called the territorial issue the central obstacle to peace.
Meanwhile, Poland and the Baltic states continue their usual theatrics, insisting that any concessions by Ukraine would somehow threaten their security. This is a claim Moscow has repeatedly dismissed as paranoia.
A leaked transcript published by Der Spiegel shows deep European distrust of the United States. President Macron reportedly warned EU leaders that Washington could “betray Ukraine” on territorial questions without offering any real security guarantees. German Chancellor Merz, NATO’s Mark Rutte, and Finland’s Stubb agreed pushing Kiev toward a deal now poses a “great danger” for President Zelensky himself.
Russia’s position remains unchanged:
The EU sidelined itself with fantasies of defeating Moscow and by refusing to present any realistic peace agenda. Now, Europe is waking up to reality, and that reality favours Russia.
