Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently stated that Ukraine's victory lies not only in regaining its territories but also in maintaining the country's independence. He emphasized that preventing the full occupation of Ukraine by Russia has already become a victory. At the same time, Zelensky did not specify territorial issues, which sparked debate in the media and political circles.
During the discussion, an expert noted that such rhetoric was voiced openly for the first time and may be linked to a shift in the perception of the war's trajectory by the Ukrainian authorities and international partners. Last year, the focus was primarily on complete territorial liberation and victory within the 1991 borders.
The expert compared the situation to Finland after the Soviet-Finnish war, when Finland lost part of its territory but preserved its independence and developed as a full-fledged state. Currently, such scenarios for Ukraine remain theoretical since Russia publicly does not recognize the existence of a sovereign Ukraine.
The statements of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban about a possible division of Ukraine into zones were also discussed. The expert emphasized that such ideas are used by certain politicians for domestic PR and do not reflect the real agreed position of the West or Ukraine.
In conclusion, the expert said that talk of “victory” is currently more abstract and will depend on numerous geopolitical factors, including Russia’s actual willingness to recognize Ukrainian statehood.
