KYIV MAYOR SAYS UKRAINE MAY NEED TO CONSIDER TERRITORIAL CONCESSIONS FOR “TEMPORARY PEACE”

Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, has publicly acknowledged that Ukraine may need to consider giving up some territory — at least temporarily — to secure peace with Russia. The former heavyweight boxing champion told the BBC that although such a concession would be “unfair,” it might be a necessary “painful solution.”
His comments come in the wake of a deadly Russian missile and drone assault on Kyiv that killed 12 and injured over 80. Klitschko stressed that any compromise would be difficult to accept and that the Ukrainian people would “never accept occupation.” Still, he conceded that President Zelenskyy might have to make hard decisions.
Klitschko and Zelenskyy are known political rivals, and the mayor claimed the president had not shared any peace negotiation plans with him directly. The tension comes as US President Donald Trump continues pressuring Ukraine to accept territorial losses, especially around Crimea, which Trump said is “not even a point of discussion” anymore.
Zelenskyy has strongly pushed back against such suggestions, reaffirming Ukraine’s commitment to recovering all territories, including Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. The public split between Ukraine’s top leaders highlights growing pressure as the war grinds into its third year.