Zelensky proposes territory exchange as Kremlin bristles
Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that he will offer Russia an exchange of part of the Kursk region for Ukrainian territory. His words prompted a reaction from Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
- We will swap one territory for another - said President Zelensky and added that he does not know which part of the territory occupied by Russia Ukraine will ask for in return. - All our territories are important, there is no priority - he emphasised.
Kremlin reacts to Zelensky's proposal
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reacted to Zelensky's words, stating in her controversial style that "Ukrainian neo-Nazis operating in the Kursk region face land without any exchange." - Of an area two by one metre - said Zakharova, whose words are quoted by the TASS agency.
Military analyst Jan Matviyiv, commenting on Zelensky's words, noted that the most probable option for a potential return from Russia is the part of the Kharkiv region occupied by Russian Armed Forces.
"Putin did not annex it to Russia, so it would be easiest to give it up. Besides, its area, although larger than in Kursk, is nevertheless comparable. Any other options could include only individual districts" – he wrote on his Telegram channel.
Putin stopped talking about Kursk
In December 2024, Ukrainian soldiers told BBC News they had received orders to maintain control of the part of the Kursk region held since August at least until Trump's inauguration, which took place on 20th January 2025.
- The main task facing us is to hold the maximum territory until Trump’s inauguration and the start of negotiations. In order to exchange it for something later. No-one knows what - said one of the Ukrainian soldiers at the time.
Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly emphasized the need to "push" Ukrainian troops out of Russian territory, but in January 2025, he stopped publicly mentioning the situation in the Kursk region.
At the beginning of January, Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted a new offensive, advancing about 3 kilometres, and in February, they broke through defences southeast of Sudzha – in the area of Makhniwka and Cherkaska Konopyelka villages – and took control of the village of Fanaseyevka.
In total, the Ukrainian Armed Forces control about 520 square kilometres of territory in the Kursk region.
