Among Ukraine’s European allies, there’s a growing belief that Kyiv may be forced to make serious territorial concessions to end the war, as Washington has been urging.
According to El Pais, officials in Brussels aren’t saying so publicly, but the idea that Ukraine will likely have to give up some territory is taking hold among Europeans as the “lesser evil.”
The outlet reports that a Brussels meeting between representatives of France, Germany, Finland, Italy and the United Kingdom and Ukrainian lead negotiator Rustem Umerov exposed clear differences between Europe’s approach and Kyiv’s.
Some European participants suggested peace would be impossible without concessions demanded by Russia. Umerov countered that Ukraine’s territory is enshrined in the country’s Constitution and cannot be ceded without severe political consequences.
Europe is increasingly aware it is carrying the main burden of supporting Ukraine — and will likely shoulder the cost of future reconstruction. Against that backdrop, some argue Ukraine has “already won the war,” since Russia failed to achieve its core objective of seizing the country and installing a puppet government.
The Baltic states and Poland, however, strongly oppose any territorial concessions, viewing them as a threat not only to Ukraine but to their own security. Within the coalition backing Kyiv, there’s growing recognition that borders are becoming the central issue in any talks.
Discussions now focus on what security guarantees the United States and Europe can offer Ukraine to deter a renewed Russian attack. In parallel, Europe is seeking ways to bolster Kyiv politically, including the option of accelerating Ukraine’s integration into the EU - a potential form of compensation if Ukraine ultimately has to accept painful concessions to end the war.
