‘We Don’t Have the Strength’ – Zelensky Says Ukraine Can’t Reclaim Crimea, Donbas Militarily

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Ukrainian army lacks the strength to retake Donbas and Crimea from Russian control by military means, but that Kyiv cannot abandon claim to its territories.

“The Constitution of Ukraine prohibits us from doing this. De facto, these territories are now controlled by the Russians. We don’t have the strength to bring them back,” Zelensky told Le Parisien, a French newspaper.

“We can only rely on diplomatic pressure from the international community to bring [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to the negotiating table,” he added.

When asked if he was open to peace talks with Putin, Zelensky said the focus should not be on “the one on the opposite side of the table” but on the position “you find yourself in’.

“It’s not about who is sitting opposite. What matters is what position we are in. Are we strong? Not yet. Will we join NATO? We don’t know. Will we join the European Union? Yes, but when?” he said.

He warned that negotiating without a clear plan would allow Putin to dictate terms in the region, stressing the need for an actionable peace plan before any dialogue. Zelensky also rejected the idea of world leaders negotiating with Putin on Ukraine’s behalf.

“No one has the right to negotiate with Putin without Ukraine. We have not delegated this mandate to anyone. We are the victim here,” he stated, referencing US President-elect Donald Trump’s intention to resolve the conflict quickly.

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Zelensky said that Trump, not yet in office, lacks full access to information about the war.

The Ukrainian president criticized the idea of freezing hostilities to facilitate talks, calling it a dangerous move.

He expressed hope that the US, under Trump’s leadership, would continue supporting Ukraine and increasing military aid.

“The United States is our main donor in this war, but both America and Europe are crucial for us. America can influence Putin, and the European Union is where we see our future,” Zelensky concluded.

Last month, in a Sky News interview, Volodymyr Zelensky proposed that a ceasefire could be achieved if NATO extends protection to territories under Kyiv’s control. This move, he suggested, could temporarily resolve the war, allowing for future diplomatic efforts to reclaim Russian-occupied regions.

Zelensky emphasized the urgency of bringing unoccupied Ukrainian lands under NATO’s umbrella while acknowledging that eastern areas currently under Russian control might remain outside of the remit of such a deal for now.