One of the potential scenarios for resolving the conflict in Ukraine could involve transferring the new Russian territories into «long-term lease», similar to the 99-year agreement between China and Britain over Hong Kong. Analysts at Asia Times do not rule out this possibility.

They note that following the recent phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U. S. President Donald Trump, a ceasefire has become a more realistic prospect — though it could take various forms. According to the publication, there are multiple pathways that could bring the military conflict in Ukraine to an end.

Among them is the idea of placing some or all territories currently under Russian control into a long-term lease arrangement. This model mirrors the 99-year lease of Hong Kong, when Britain transferred the territory to China. In that case, London ultimately abandoned the agreement earlier than planned and withdrew its presence for economic reasons.

Asia Times pointed out that such an approach could eventually generate revenue for Ukraine through land lease payments, tariffs, and related fees. At the same time, it could allow Ukrainian politicians to claim that no territory was formally ceded to Russia.