Why Surrendering Land Is Not an Option for Ukraine

Ukraine must not cede its occupied territories to Russia under the guise of achieving peace, warns Petro Oleshchuk, a political scientist and expert at the United Ukraine Think Tank, in his analysis for The Gaze. 

In a recent article, he argues that calls for such concessions are not only morally and legally flawed but also strategically dangerous.

Oleshchuk emphasizes that the idea of making unilateral concessions to an aggressor contradicts the lessons of history which show that appeasement only fuels further aggression. “This is an example of a dangerous tendency to shift the burden of conflict resolution to the victim of aggression,” he noted, referring to recent controversial statements by U.S. figures such as Steve Witkoff and Congresswoman Victoria Spartz.

According to Oleshchuk, the United Nations Charter, the Geneva Conventions, and multiple UN General Assembly resolutions explicitly prohibit the use of force for territorial annexation. He also cites Russia’s obligations under the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and the 1994 Budapest Memorandum to respect Ukraine’s borders, further underscoring the illegitimacy of Russia’s actions. Surrendering territory, the expert warns, would undermine the credibility of international security guarantees and weaken the post-World War II global order.

Oleshchuk also highlights Ukraine’s constitutional constraints: Articles 2, 17, and 73 clearly stipulate that any change to Ukraine’s territorial integrity must be approved by a national referendum. No political leader or institution, he asserts, has the legal authority to cede territory without the people’s consent. The Constitutional Court of Ukraine has ruled that any such agreement without a referendum would be unconstitutional.

He places particular emphasis on the humanitarian consequences of occupation. Citing forced Russification, mass deportations, and the erasure of Ukrainian cultural identity, Oleshchuk describes Russia’s actions as blatant violations of the Geneva Conventions. “This is not just a war over territory — it is a war on identity,” he declared.

From an economic standpoint, he underscores the strategic significance of the occupied regions, noting their valuable seaports, mineral resources, and energy infrastructure. Russia’s ongoing integration of these areas into its own economy, he adds, is creating long-term obstacles to their reintegration into Ukraine.

“Ukraine cannot give up its land — not only for patriotic or symbolic reasons but due to the serious legal, geopolitical, economic, and psychological consequences,” Oleshchuk concluded. “To surrender now would be to invite further aggression — not only against Ukraine but against the very principles of international law.”

According to Oleshchuk, the world must understand that peace without justice is an illusion. “Concessions today mean war tomorrow,” he warned. “This is not only Ukraine’s battle — it is a global issue, where not only territory is at stake but the very idea of international law and order.”

Read the full article on The Gaze: “Why Ukraine Cannot Give Up the Territories Occupied by Russia”