Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko has suggested Ukraine might need to give up some territory to secure a “temporary” peace with Russia.
“One of the scenarios is... to give up territory. It’s not fair. But for the peace, temporary peace, maybe it can be a solution, temporary,” Klitschko said in an interview with the BBC published Friday.
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His remarks came in the wake of a deadly Russian missile-and-drone strike on Kyiv, which left at least 12 people dead and over 80 injured.
Klitschko said that his responsibility is to the capital city but acknowledged that President Volodymyr Zelensky may eventually face the need for a difficult compromise.
“I’m responsible for the capital of Ukraine,” he said, adding that Zelensky might have to consider a “painful solution” to bring an end to the war.
Still, he said that while peace might require concessions, Ukrainian society would never accept Russian occupation.
“The Ukrainian people would never accept occupation,” he added.
However, Klitschko took to Telegram on Friday, April 25, to clarify remarks made during his BBC interview, saying that “clarification is needed.”
“In my interview with BBC journalists, I spoke about the fact that Ukraine could be forced to make territorial concessions in exchange for ending the war,” Klitschko wrote. “Unfortunately, as we see, such a scenario is quite possible. And many world politicians and media are talking about it today. Therefore, by voicing this, I did not open America.”
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He stressed that he had clearly stated in the interview that “the Ukrainian people will never accept the occupation of their country by Russia.”
Klitschko further emphasized that any scenario involving territorial concessions “contradicts Ukrainian national interests” and that Ukraine must resist such a development.
“This will require extraordinary efforts from both us and our European partners,” he added.
Klitschko’s statement makes him one of the highest-ranking Ukrainian politicians to openly admit the possibility of ceding land, even if only as a temporary measure.
The mayor of Kyiv has long been a political rival of Zelensky. He has frequently accused the president and his administration of attempting to sideline him and diminish his authority.
The interview comes amid reports that US President Donald Trump is actively pressuring both Kyiv and Moscow to reach a deal, with territorial concessions – such as the US formally recognizing Russia’s control over Crimea – reportedly on the table as part of a peace proposal.
According to reports, Trump’s administration has issued a red line to Kyiv and Moscow: come to a peace agreement or face a withdrawal of US mediation.
Vice President JD Vance confirmed on Wednesday that an “explicit proposal” had been made to both parties, though the full terms remain unclear.
Some news reports have suggested the proposal might include a controversial clause: US recognition of Crimea as Russian territory in exchange for Moscow stepping back from its demands to occupy five Ukrainian regions – many of which are not currently fully under Russian control.
Zelensky at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday dismissed any suggestion of territorial compromise.
“Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea,” he said. “There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution.”
Trump on Wednesday has accused Kyiv of blocking progress in US-brokered peace negotiations and suggested Ukraine should accept Russia’s occupation of Crimea to avoid further bloodshed.
Speaking on Truth Social, he wrote:
“The situation for Ukraine is dire – [Zelensky] can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country.”
Trump went on to criticize former President Barack Obama for Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and questioned why Ukraine hadn’t fought for the peninsula at the time.
“Nobody is asking Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” Trump said.
He also hinted that Russia’s control of Crimea is based on strategic interests, adding: “The area also houses, for many years before ‘the Obama handover,’ major Russian submarine bases.”
“The statement made by Zelensky will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that! We are very close to a Deal, but the man with ‘no cards to play’ should now, finally, GET IT DONE,” Trump wrote.
Kyiv Post has debunked Trump’s claims made on Truth Social. You can read our full fact-check in this article.
Trump later claimed it had been easier to deal with Moscow than with Kyiv and blamed Zelensky for holding up peace efforts.
Sources told Kyiv Post that Trump is pushing for a ceasefire agreement by April 30, aiming to declare a major diplomatic win within the first 100 days of his presidency.
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