Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, one of Ukraine’s most high-profile leaders and a former boxing champion, has admitted that Ukraine may have to consider giving up some of its territory to Russia as part of a potential peace agreement.
His remarks mark a significant contrast to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s firm stance, as the Ukrainian leader has consistently rejected any notion of ceding land to Moscow. This divergence underscores a widening gap between Kyiv’s official position and those of both Russia and the Trump administration, which is currently mediating negotiations. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly in Moscow and expected to meet Putin in the coming days.
“Giving up territory is one of the scenarios,” Klitschko told the BBC on Thursday while discussing possible ceasefire arrangements. “It’s not just. But for peace—a temporary peace—maybe that could be a solution, even if only temporary.”
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who has often faced criticism for appearing more sympathetic to Russia than to Ukraine, told reporters on Thursday, “You don’t know what pressure I’m putting on Russia,” though he offered no further details. At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the Kremlin is “ready to reach a deal,” though he noted that certain elements still require “fine tuning.”
It’s those unresolved details that remain the main sticking points between the sides, preventing any breakthrough.
Trump, who once vowed he could secure peace within 24 hours, is now especially eager to strike a deal as he approaches the 100-day mark of his return to office. But Russia, sensing a strategic edge both on the battlefield and diplomatically — including what analysts describe as a more favorable U.S. administration — is reluctant to make concessions. Ukraine, on the other hand, is wary of signing any agreement that might involve painful territorial losses and leave it exposed to future aggression from the Kremlin.
Though Klitschko and Zelenskyy have long been political rivals, with a history of public disagreements, the Kyiv mayor has become one of the first major Ukrainian figures to admit that the country may have to soften its stance in order to move talks forward.
Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has left roughly 20% of the country under Russian control, including Crimea, which Moscow annexed years earlier. On Thursday, Zelenskyy doubled down on his position, rejecting any suggestion of ceding land. “There is nothing to discuss,” he said firmly. “This is our land — the land of the Ukrainian people.”
Zelenskyy’s refusal to consider territorial concessions triggered a sharp response from Trump earlier this week. In a post on social media Wednesday, the former president accused him of making “inflammatory statements” that could jeopardize chances for peace.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to face relentless pressure on the battlefield and in the skies. Russian forces have maintained their nightly airstrikes, keeping civilians under constant threat even as diplomatic negotiations remain stalled.
The Kremlin unleashed over 100 drones in a massive overnight assault into Friday, killing at least three people in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region and two more in Kherson, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Emergency crews had only just finished clearing debris from an even deadlier attack the night before — a missile barrage that struck Kyiv, killing 12 and injuring more than 80, officials said.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump insisted he was applying pressure on Putin, but admitted he was deeply unsettled by the escalating violence. “I didn’t like last night. I wasn’t happy with it,” he told reporters. “We’re in the midst of talking peace, and missiles were fired.”
Just hours earlier, Trump had taken the unusual step of publicly calling out Putin, following the wave of missile strikes on Kyiv and other cities. In a blunt message posted to Truth Social, he told the Russian president, “Vladimir, STOP!”
Amid rising tensions, Trump dispatched his envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow for another round of talks. Flight tracking data showed a jet previously used by Witkoff departing Paris for Moscow on Thursday, and by Friday, Russian state media confirmed the plane had landed at Vnukovo International Airport.
Despite Russia continuing its bombardment of Ukrainian cities, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told CBS News that negotiations were “moving in the right direction,” suggesting Moscow still sees a pathway to a deal.
– Reporting by Magdalena Motha in London and Judith Motha in Kyiv for Foxton News.
