As diplomatic efforts quietly unfold to broker a peace deal in Ukraine, Russia has drawn a firm red line: it will not return any of the Ukrainian territories it has illegally annexed.
The Kremlin’s latest statement reinforces its refusal to compromise on its claims over occupied regions.
Russia’s Stance on Annexed Land
According to Digi24, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Thursday that the territories incorporated into Russia are now “integral” to the country and their status is “absolutely incontestable and non-negotiable.”
Russia illegally annexed four Ukrainian regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—in September 2022, despite not fully controlling them.
Moscow previously seized Crimea in 2014 through a military intervention and a referendum widely denounced as illegitimate by Ukraine and its Western allies. Additionally, Russian forces hold parts of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region in the northeast.
Ukraine’s Position and the Path to Negotiations
Despite Russia’s stance, Ukraine has continued its efforts to reclaim occupied territories. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously suggested the idea of a territorial exchange with Moscow, though the Kremlin has flatly rejected such a proposal.
While discussions about a potential peace settlement are reportedly taking place behind the scenes, Moscow’s insistence on keeping annexed Ukrainian land remains a major obstacle to any meaningful negotiations.
With the war grinding on, the Kremlin’s declaration signals that a diplomatic breakthrough remains unlikely in the near future.
