Territorial demands cloud Ukraine peace talks, German foreign minister warns

BERLIN

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Tuesday expressed skepticism about ongoing Ukraine peace negotiations, citing Russian demands for territorial concessions.

"I am not yet certain that a compromise document will be on the table at the end of the day," Wadephul said, according to German news agency DPA.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Guangzhou in southern China, the minister said territorial issues were among the most difficult from the start.

"Ultimately, only the Ukrainians can decide on this. That these decisions will not be easy for them is completely obvious," he said.

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ruled out any territorial concessions under a reduced US-backed 20-point peace plan being discussed. He stressed that Ukraine "has no right to give up its territories" and rejected proposals to exchange land for security guarantees.

"There were 28 points, now there are 20. We have aligned this direction and quite frankly, the non-Ukrainian points have been removed," Zelenskyy told reporters on a video call, adding that no compromise has been reached on territorial issues.

He also emphasized that the question of trading territory for security guarantees "is not on the table," citing Ukraine's Constitution, international law, and what he described as a moral obligation to defend its land.