Slovak parliament official: Ukraine’s territorial red lines hinder peace efforts

The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s firm stance against any territorial concessions is complicating prospects for ending the conflict with Russia and will shape future relations between the two countries, according to the vice-speaker of Slovakia’s National Council, Tibor Gašpar.

In an interview with Russian media, Gašpar said Zelenskyy’s categorical rejection of any loss of territory amounted to a “serious condition” for the future framework of relations with Moscow.

“I see that Zelenskyy rejects any loss of territories, and that is a fairly serious condition for future relations,” he said, when asked about the possibility of resolving the Ukraine conflict in 2026.

Gašpar added that it remains difficult to predict when negotiations could resume or whether a comprehensive settlement might be reached, warning that continued fighting could lead to further loss of life.

“It would be good if a peaceful solution could be found,” he said, suggesting that Ukrainian and Russian representatives should return to the negotiating table “as soon as possible, if that is possible,” to agree on terms for peace.

He also stressed that any eventual agreement would inevitably be viewed by some parties as unfavourable.

“The conflict will damage future relations between Russia and Ukraine for many years and will remain a problem for cooperation,” Gašpar said, adding that the human cost on both sides would be remembered as a lasting burden on bilateral relations.