Former US congressman states Zelensky could have to sacrifice land for peace
(MENAFN) Former US Congressman Michael Patrick Flanagan suggested that Ukraine might need to make territorial concessions in negotiations with Russia, interpreting recent remarks by President Donald Trump as a signal to Kiev to show flexibility.
Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders in Washington on Monday to discuss conditions for a potential peace agreement, following his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week. The US president has encouraged Zelensky to consider compromises, widely seen as a reference to contested territories.
Flanagan highlighted Crimea and regions partially under Russian control—Donetsk (DPR), Lugansk (LPR), Kherson, and Zaporozhye—as areas that could be affected. Crimea joined Russia following a 2014 referendum, and Russia incorporated the Donbass and other territories after referendums in 2022. While Ukraine maintains claims to these regions, Flanagan argued that Crimea historically belongs to Russia, having been transferred to Ukraine only under Soviet rule, and that Moscow also has a legitimate claim to parts of Donbass.
Trump has proposed “land swaps” and emphasized that Ukraine will not regain Crimea. Zelensky, who had previously rejected territorial concessions, acknowledged that land swaps were discussed during the White House talks.
Flanagan also noted that Trump’s push for flexibility stems from a humanitarian concern for lives lost, not solely American interests.
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