After nearly 3 years of war, some Ukrainians would give land for peace

Almost three years have elapsed since Russia commenced its invasion of Ukraine, leaving the populace weary and disheartened. The initial fervor to resist among Ukrainians has visibly diminished as the prolonged conflict continues to exact a heavy toll on their lives and spirits.

Nearly three years after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, the prolonged conflict has left the Ukrainian population weary and disillusioned. The initial enthusiasm for resistance has noticeably waned as the enduring warfare continues to deeply affect their lives and morale.

So, it isn't surprising to learn that some citizens are starting to change their minds about surrendering territory to Russia in exchange for peace.

As reported by Reuters, a recent poll conducted in Ukraine found that almost one-third of Ukrainians are now open to relinquishing some territory to Russia if it would put a stop to the war.

Over the past year, that is an increase of three times the number of people who think Ukraine should give up territory compared to results from previous surveys.

However, it should be noted that the majority of Ukrainians still do not want to give up any land to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The poll found that 55% of Ukrainians oppose any territorial concessions.

The poll was conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), which, according to Reuters, polled 1,067 people on Ukrainian-held territory from May 16-22.

The results of the KIIS poll showed that 32% of Ukrainians would agree to some form of territorial concessions if it meant there would be peace in Ukraine.

This is a major increase compared to 2023 when only 10% admitted they'd be willing to trade land for peace in their country.

Newsweek spoke to Viktor Kovalenko, a defense analyst and former Ukrainian soldier, about the results of the KIIS poll. Kovalenko told the publication, "Ukrainian morale for reclaiming all territories may be waning due to exhaustion and heavy losses."

Furthermore, Kovalenko said he believes Ukrainians are worried that Western aid could run out, saying, "Their military has shifted to a defensive stance, lacking the capabilities for a counteroffensive. Despite assurances of unwavering support, Western aid appears increasingly uncertain."

The poll asked Ukrainians which scenarios they found the most acceptable to be able to live in peace again. In response, 62% of those polled said that the most acceptable situation would be to regain all Russian-occupied territories and join the European Union without NATO membership.

However, in second place, 53% of Ukrainians said they would also agree to cede control of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts along with Crimea if Ukraine gained complete control of Kherson and Zaporizhia oblasts, so long as Ukraine could still join the European Union and NATO.

This change in the Ukrainian people's mentality could potentially help Ukrainian President Zelensky find a way to eventually negotiate peace with Russia.

Even though Zelensky has been adamant that he would never give Russia any Ukrainian territory, if his people are open to doing so, it might be worth it for peace.

Ukrainian defense analyst Viktor Kovalenko told Newsweek that Zelensky "might consider using the war as a chance to cut off the pro-Russian Donbas, potentially strengthening Ukraine."

Kovalenko added, "A significant portion of Ukrainian society tentatively agrees that the industrialized Donbas has been a financial burden and has obstructed Ukraine's path to the EU and NATO."

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