On April 30, 2025, US Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg said on Fox News that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to Russia's territorial demands to resolve the conflict. This statement was a sensation, given Kyiv's previous adamant position, which insisted on the full return of all occupied territories, including Crimea and Donbas. Kellogg's words, which came amid ongoing negotiations in London, sparked heated discussions about a possible end to the conflict, but also exacerbated internal contradictions in Ukrainian society.

According to Reuters, Kellogg specified that Zelensky is ready to discuss territorial concessions as part of a broader peace agreement that includes security guarantees for Ukraine from the United States and European countries.

"Zelensky understands that peace will require compromises, and he is ready to take this step," — Kellogg noted, adding that negotiations with the Ukrainian side are in a “good position.”

In London on April 23-25, the US and Ukraine agreed on a list of 22 specific actions to end the conflict, including a 30-day ceasefire and the deployment of European forces on the border. However, the idea of ​​territorial concessions has sparked a sharp protest in Kyiv, where Zelensky is accused of “capitulation,” The New York Times reports.

Zelensky has previously categorically rejected any territorial compromises. In May 2024, he said Ukraine would not agree to peace until Russia returned Crimea and Donbas, stressing that “Ukrainians are not ready to give up their land.” However, pressure from the United States, which is seeking to speed up the peace process, seems to have changed Kyiv’s position. According to the Financial Times, the Donald Trump administration, which promised to end the conflict in the first 100 days, is pushing for a compromise, including a possible division of Ukraine into zones of responsibility, similar to Berlin after World War II.