With Ukraine currently not in control over substantial amounts of Russian territory, its limited cross-border offensives having largely been pulled back earlier this year, Jennifer Kavanagh, senior fellow and director of military analysis at the Defense Priorities think tank, said the comments were indicative of a broader reality that has set in over the conflict.
“Ukraine will have to cede some territory to end the war, the question is how much and how,” Kavanagh told Newsweek. “At the very least, it will not go back to its pre-2022 borders. Crimea will not be returned to Ukraine.”
“Ukraine can choose to keep fighting now rather than settle for Putin’s terms that require withdrawing from the Donbas, but they are losing territory at a more rapid rate and their frontlines are overstretched,” Kavanagh said. “More time may not buy them a better deal but force them to settle for much less.”
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