Vladimir Zelensky declared that Ukraine will never recognize the occupied territories as part of Russia.

The head of state, Vladimir Zelensky, during a meeting with representatives of the International Media Council, stated that Ukraine will not agree to any compromise that would involve recognizing the occupied territories as part of the Russian Federation, even under pressure from all allies.

The president emphasized that for Ukraine, the temporarily occupied territories will always remain Ukrainian until they are returned under the control of the state.

“No matter what anyone wants. Even if all the allies of the world unite – we still will not recognize the occupied territories. It is impossible. We do not legally recognize them. For us, they will always remain occupied territories until we return there,” he said.

Zelensky specifically noted that ending the active phase of the war is the main priority for the country:

“This is the number one issue. There may be many negotiations, but the main thing is to stop the active phase. This is the number one guarantee of security,” he said.

The president stressed that dialogue with Russia should only take place from a position of strength, as any attempt to treat the aggressor as an equal is a defeat for Ukraine.

Earlier, the new U.S. Secretary of State, Mark Rubio, stated that ending the war between Russia and Ukraine will be the official policy of the administration of Donald Trump. According to him, the war needs to be concluded in a way that does not allow for its resumption in 2-3 years.