Ukraine: "Kissinger's Proposal to Abandon Territory Is Absolutely Unacceptable"... Controversy Spreads Across Europe

Kissinger's "Ceasefire Negotiations Within 2 Months" Realistic Proposal
Some EU Members Including Italy Also Advocate Partial Territorial Concession

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has raised a pragmatic view that Ukraine should hasten ceasefire negotiations even if it means ceding some territory, but Ukraine is strongly opposing this proposal. Some Western countries facing economic difficulties are also pressuring Ukraine to accept some of Russia's demands.

On the 25th (local time), Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko stated in an interview with CNBC, "The proposal to cede territory suggested by Kissinger is absolutely unacceptable, and we cannot give up any of our territory," adding, "Kissinger still lives in the 20th century, but we live in the 21st century."

Earlier, on the 23rd, former Secretary Kissinger said at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting held in Davos, Switzerland, "Ukraine should resume ceasefire negotiations with Russia within the next two months, and ideally, the territorial situation should be restored to the pre-war status," adding, "Pursuing more than that will cause a new war, and a humiliating defeat for Russia should not be sought."

The "pre-war status" mentioned by former Secretary Kissinger refers to effectively recognizing the Crimean Peninsula, forcibly annexed by Russia in 2014, and the Donbas region controlled by pro-Russian separatists as Russian-controlled territories.

Voices calling for Ukraine to cede some territory and enter ceasefire negotiations are also emerging within the European Union (EU). According to AFP, ahead of the EU summit scheduled for the 30th, Italy proposed including a peace negotiation plan between Ukraine and Russia in the joint declaration of the EU summit and urged a ceasefire.

The peace negotiation plan proposed by Italy includes accepting some of Russia's demands, such as Ukraine's neutralization and recognition of Russian sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula and the Donbas region. It is reported that some member states, including Hungary and Cyprus, also support this proposal.

However, the Ukrainian government fundamentally rejects ceding territory and insists that a national referendum must be held first in the decision-making process. According to a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology from the 13th to the 18th among 2,000 Ukrainian adults, more than 82% of Ukrainians opposed ceding territory. It is expected that controversy over Ukraine's territorial concessions will continue to spread.