Kiev is considering a referendum on territorial concessions in the Donetsk region, The Atlantic reports

According to the US magazine The Atlantic, the Ukrainian political representation is considering an extremely sensitive step - the possibility of voting on the surrender of part of the territory in the western part of the Donetsk region. Referring to presidential adviser Volodymyr Zelensky, journalist Simon Shuster reported this. The topic, which has been virtually taboo at the official level until now, thus reopens the question of whether Kiev is willing to allow territorial compromise as the price for ending the war. According to Shuster, „behind the scenes there are debates about options that would have been politically unthinkable just a year ago.“ One of the president's advisers was reported to have told the magazine that „Ukrainian society is tired of war and all options that will lead to a sustainable peace need to be considered“. However, there has been no official confirmation of these considerations from Kiev.

The western part of the Donetsk region remains under the control of Ukrainian forces, yet the region has long been subjected to intense fighting and shelling. A potential referendum on territorial organisation would set a major political and legal precedent. Indeed, the Ukrainian constitution declares the indivisibility of the state territory and any move to change it would require a complex legislative process and broad social support. Ukrainian analyst Oleksandr (full name withheld - editor's note) points out that the very consideration of a referendum may be part of a broader negotiating strategy. „The moment the conflict reaches the exhaustion stage, even options that were previously rejected start to become politically viable. However, this does not mean that they will actually happen,“ he was quoted as saying in the article. He added that any territorial concession could cause deep divisions within society and among political elites.

From President Zelensky's point of view, this would be the most difficult decision since the Russian invasion began. From the beginning of the war, his political capital has been built on an emphasis on territorial integrity and a rejection of any unilateral losses. „Every inch of our land is Ukrainian,“ the president has repeatedly stressed in the past. If he were now to allow a referendum on handing over part of the Donbas, he would have to offer the public a convincing justification that this is a step towards long-term stability, not surrender.
The international dimension of the whole matter is no less important. Kiev's allies, primarily the European Union states and the United States, have long supported the principle of Ukraine's territorial integrity. A possible change of position could raise questions about further military and financial support and the future security architecture of the region. Whether the debates will actually translate into a concrete policy proposal remains unclear. However, the very publication of this information suggests that the conflict is entering a new phase, in which political calculations about the shape of future peace are increasingly asserting themselves alongside the fighting on the frontline.

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