Kyiv Mayor Klitschko says Ukraine may have to temporarily cede land for peace

Aftermath of a Russian missile attack in Kyiv

FILE PHOTO: Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko visits the site of a residential building heavily damaged during a Russian missile attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 2, 2024. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

Source: X03345

Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Ukraine may need to temporarily cede land as part of a peace deal with Russia, Britain's BBC reported on Friday.

"One of the scenarios is… to give up territory. It's not fair. But for the peace, temporary peace, maybe it can be a solution, temporary," Klitschko was quoted by the BBC as saying in an interview.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy might be forced to accept a "painful solution" to achieve peace, Klitschko said, although the Ukrainian people would "never accept occupation" by Russia.

Former heavyweight boxing champion Klitschko, a political rival of Zelenskiy, accused the president's entourage earlier this year of political intrigue.

Russia pounded the capitol city Kyiv with missiles and drones on Thursday night, killing at least 12 people, in the biggest attack on the Ukrainian capital this year.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters