The Kremlin has made it clear that there will be no negotiations over the five Ukrainian regions that Russia claims to have annexed, even though it does not fully control four of them.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Thursday that these territories are now considered an inseparable part of Russia according to the country’s Constitution.
“Non-Negotiable” Territories
Speaking to reporters, Peskov firmly said, “This is undeniable and non-negotiable.”
Russia first annexed Crimea in 2014 following a controversial referendum that was rejected by Ukraine and Western nations. Then, in September 2022, Russia declared the annexation of four more Ukrainian regions:
- Donetsk
- Luhansk
- Zaporizhzhia
- Kherson
However, Russian forces do not fully control all these regions. While they hold most of Donetsk and Luhansk, they only occupy parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
Ukraine Pushes Back
Meanwhile, Ukraine has recaptured hundreds of square kilometers of Russia’s Kursk region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has even suggested the idea of a territorial exchange with Russia.
However, the Kremlin has completely dismissed any possibility of such a deal, further escalating tensions in the ongoing war.