Ukraine is under pressure to trade land for peace − if it does, history shows it might not ever get it back

Ukraine may need a major, system-level change or crisis in Russia to regain any lost territories.

By: Peter Harris, Colorado State University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 12, 2026

Words: 1,338

Last Updated: 2 months, 1 week ago

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By Peter Harris, Colorado State University

Asked in December 2025 what the biggest sticking point was in negotiating peace in Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump got straight to the point: land. “Some of that land has been taken. Some of that land is maybe up for grabs,” he added.

From the very beginning of the full-scale war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ruled out ceding territory to the invading Russians.

Yet, when the war …

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