Slovakia's Defense Minister: The reality is that Ukraine will have to cede some territories.

He mentioned this during the program "In Politics" on the TA3 channel, as reported by his agency TASR.

According to Kaliniak, whose parents hail from Lemkivshchyna and Odessa, the supposed inevitable loss of Ukrainian territories is indicated by the "reality on the ground." He also pointed out that for Ukraine, its future foreign policy is more important than borders.

“Perhaps Ukraine does not realize that it will never be able to leap and find itself between Germany and Switzerland, but will always have its longest border with the Russian Federation,” Kaliniak explained his opinion.

At the same time, he emphasized that there can be no debate about who is the aggressor in this war, as it is Russia that "has crossed all boundaries, rules, and violated international law."

“But it is also necessary to pay attention to what is happening in other parts of the world and apply the same standards to all other disputes,” the minister added.

In Kaliniak's view, it is in Slovakia's interest for this war to end immediately and for a ceasefire to be established between the two sides, leading to subsequent peace negotiations.

Recall that earlier, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini also stated that Ukraine will have to concede territories for the sake of peace.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he fully supports Ukraine's accession to the European Union, but is against its joining NATO.

Slovakia is also willing to provide a platform for peace negotiations, as stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who agreed to this proposal from Bratislava.

Territorial Concessions

According to polls, since May 2023, the proportion of people in Ukraine willing to concede territories has gradually increased, despite the difficult situation at the front. As of early October, 58% of surveyed Ukrainians opposed territorial concessions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the proposals to concede territories for a possible cessation of hostilities "madness." However, he acknowledged that Ukraine currently lacks the strength to reclaim all occupied territories through military means.

Meanwhile, the Reuters news agency, citing its own sources, reported that advisors to newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump are suggesting that Ukraine abandon the territories seized by Russia and its NATO membership bid. Instead, Ukraine would be offered U.S. security guarantees, which could include increased arms supplies.