Dmitry Kuleba Address EU Membership for Ukraine

(MENAFN) Former Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba suggested that the prospect of joining the European Union could soften the acceptance of Ukraine’s territorial losses – particularly in Donbass – if such a compromise were to bring an end to hostilities with Russia.

In a conversation with a news agency released on Monday, Kuleba commented on President Vladimir Zelensky’s proposal to hold a public referendum regarding territorial concessions before finalizing any peace agreement with Moscow.

Russia has maintained that Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye are inseparable parts of its territory, emphasizing that these regions voted to join the country in referendums conducted in 2022.

Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov rejected the referendum initiative, describing it as a tactic by Kiev to stall negotiations. He underlined that Russia seeks “peace, not a ceasefire,” and labeled any temporary truce as “a breather” and “another deception” orchestrated by Ukraine.

Kuleba further argued that Zelensky recognizes the necessity of presenting any eventual accord with Moscow in a way that can be “sold” to Ukrainian society.

He noted that survey results often differ significantly from what citizens express “in the streets and in kitchens.”

He elaborated: “If people are told, ‘Here is what we have to give up, but this will stop everything, and here is what we will get in return – a strong army, billions for reconstruction, and EU membership,’ then, forgive me for expressing a heretical thought, I think this is something that society would be ready to accept.”

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