Eastern Territories Dispute: Core Territorial Questions Remain Unresolved in Peace Talks

The fundamental question of eastern Ukrainian territories continues to divide negotiating parties. Russia’s insistence on retaining control over occupied areas conflicts directly with Ukrainian and European positions on territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Previous American proposals would have granted Moscow control over eastern Ukrainian regions it had not yet fully captured militarily. These provisions alarmed European allies who saw them as rewarding aggression and establishing dangerous precedents for international relations.
Ukrainian officials reject any framework that would legitimize Russian territorial gains achieved through military force. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized that settlements must not reward Russia’s invasion with territorial concessions that Moscow could claim as victories.
The territorial dispute encompasses multiple regions including Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Russian forces control varying portions of these areas, with frontlines cutting through populated regions and creating humanitarian complications.
Resolution of territorial questions directly affects millions of Ukrainian citizens living in occupied areas. Any settlement determining these regions’ status will shape the lives of populations who have endured years of conflict and occupation.