12:32 04-12-2025

Duma Deputy Warns Ukraine Could Lose Its Statehood

Andrey Kolesnik warns that refusing compromise with Moscow could cost Ukraine its statehood, as Russia may rethink talks if Kiev rejects territorial concessions.

Andrey Kolesnik, a member of the State Duma’s defense committee, believes that if what he calls the Kiev regime refuses to seek a compromise with Moscow on a peaceful settlement, Ukraine risks losing its statehood.

He suggested that Russia could reconsider its entire negotiating approach if Ukraine continues to reject territorial concessions. In his view, the more rational option now would be to lock in the current status quo, otherwise, as he put it, the situation will only deteriorate further.

Kolesnik argued that Ukraine could face serious consequences for what he described as its intransigence and unwillingness to grasp the reality of what is happening. He claimed that the country’s top leadership, which he characterized as partially illegitimate and including President Zelensky, is merely pretending not to understand how this could end.

He also noted that repeated attempts to persuade Kiev to sit down at the table and reach an agreement have so far failed. Under these conditions, Kolesnik said the negotiation issue will ultimately be resolved in a different way — one that is likely to be less comfortable for all parties involved, but, in his view, more effective.