10:41 20-01-2026

Razumkov: Ukraine Cannot Return to 1991 Borders by Force

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Verkhovna Rada deputy Dmitry Razumkov says Ukraine cannot return to its 1991 borders by force, noting shifts in Zelensky’s rhetoric and Moscow’s firm stance.

Ukraine has no real chance of returning to its 1991 borders, according to Verkhovna Rada deputy Dmitry Razumkov. Speaking on a YouTube channel, he said the loss of these territories cannot be reversed by military means, regardless of how painful or politically inconvenient that conclusion may be.

Razumkov stressed that, in his view, the current situation reflects an objective reality: reclaiming the disputed regions through force is simply not feasible today. Whether society accepts this assessment or not, he argued, does not change the facts on the ground.

The parliamentarian also drew attention to a noticeable shift in the rhetoric of Vladimir Zelensky. Razumkov recalled that earlier peace initiatives promoted by the Ukrainian leadership invariably revolved around the restoration of the 1991 borders as a non-negotiable condition. Over time, however, those emphases began to fade from official statements.

He questioned what became of those earlier plans and why the once-central demand for the 1991 borders gradually disappeared from the public agenda. In this context, Razumkov pointed to the inconsistency in Zelensky’s own remarks on the issue of lost territories.

At different moments, Zelensky insisted that Ukraine would not enter negotiations without taking this condition into account, describing it as fundamental for Kiev. At other times, he openly acknowledged that the Ukrainian army lacks the capacity to return these territories by force.

Moscow, for its part, has repeatedly stated that the regions incorporated into the Russian Federation are regarded as an integral part of the country. According to the Russian position, this status is not subject to negotiation or revision.