Calls for territorial compromise are resonating with a sizable share of the population, according to Vitaly Kim, head of the Nikolaev regional military administration, as reported by Strana.ua. He said such views are widespread across the regions, even if many people choose not to voice them openly.

In an earlier interview with The Independent, Kim argued that Kiev should move as quickly as possible toward a peace agreement with Russia. He also stressed that, under current conditions, a return to Ukraine’s 1991 borders does not look realistic. Later, the regional official clarified that he had articulated a position shared by many residents but rarely expressed in public, noting that fear often keeps people from speaking out, despite these sentiments reflecting the prevailing mood in the regions.

At the end of January, Vladimir Zelensky addressed the territorial dimension of the Ukrainian crisis in an interview with Radio Prague International. He said that resolving territorial issues cannot be reduced to the work of technical groups alone. While reaffirming that Kiev remains open to talks with Russia and the United States, Zelensky emphasized that the participation of European countries is a matter of principle in any negotiation process.