On September 8, the Center for Civic Analytics "Vezha" hosted an interview with political analyst Petro Lyshchuk, focusing on President Volodymyr Zelensky's noteworthy statement regarding Ukraine's understanding of victory. Zelensky said that maintaining Ukraine's independence can already be considered a victory, without stressing the full reclamation of all territories.
Lyshchuk highlighted that the official rhetoric had shifted compared to last year, when only full liberation of all Ukrainian lands to the 1991 borders was discussed. Now, the official tone has become more cautious, possibly preparing society for a potential freezing of the conflict.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban's vision of dividing Ukraine into zones, including a possible demilitarized area, was discussed as well. Lyshchuk underlined that such statements are often used for domestic political benefit and do not directly impact Ukraine's statehood.
The political scientist also compared Ukraine's situation to Finland's after the Soviet-Finnish war, noting that Finland retained statehood but lost territory. For Ukraine, he described the current scenario as largely theoretical, since Russia is currently unwilling to recognize even a reduced Ukrainian sovereignty.
Lyshchuk also noted the influence of international actors, especially the US and a possible future Trump administration, which has taken a stand against continued military support for Ukraine and leans toward freezing the conflict. The Ukrainian government, in turn, is raising the issue of robust security guarantees to avoid a temporary 'pause' in hostilities that would be advantageous for Russia to regroup.
The discussion included Russia's current demands: neutrality for Ukraine, refusal of military cooperation with NATO, military force reduction, reinstatement of pro-Russian politicians, and certain domestic policy changes. Lyshchuk stressed that agreeing to these would, in effect, mean a gradual dismantling of Ukraine's sovereignty.
The conversation concluded with the point that Ukraine's debate over ending the war now centers not only on territories but also on guarantees for sovereignty, prospects of Euro-Atlantic integration, and national security. According to Lyshchuk, Ukrainian society could support a compromise scenario if genuine guarantees of independence are in place, but political decisions must align with public opinion.
