Kenneth Glad
Ending a war can be as complicated as fighting one. Any settlement would raise questions about land, leverage and what comes next.
For Ukraine, the hardest negotiations may begin only after the guns fall silent. Any ceasefire with Russia would force Kyiv to weigh public anger, battlefield realities and the risk that Moscow could use a pause to prepare for another confrontation.
Many Ukrainians remain firmly opposed to giving up territory still held by Kyiv, especially areas Russian troops have never occupied.
Mateusz Lachowski, a war correspondent who works with Polish outlet Wirtualna Polska, said on WP’s program Żeby Wiedzieć that the issue could divide society.
“I think part of society is ready to do this, and part is not. Most Ukrainians still do not agree, above all, to give up territories that are now under Ukrainian control,” he said.
Donbas remains central to Moscow’s aims
Rather than presenting negotiations as a simple choice between war and peace, Lachowski framed the issue as a struggle over the terms of any settlement. In his assessment, Russia wants full control of Donbas because it could be used to claim victory at home:
“The Russians want to take the whole of Donbas, because then they will be able to announce some kind of success.”
He described that goal as symbolic, but important for the Kremlin. Such a result, in his view, could help Russian authorities sell the war effort to their own public.
Lachowski also warned that a ceasefire would not automatically create lasting security. Drawing on conversations with soldiers and Polish officers, he said Russia could try to use the military capacity built during the war before it loses momentum:
“There is a risk that once the war ends, Russia could start another conflict within six months.”
Security guarantees may decide the value of peace
The central question for Kyiv, Lachowski suggested, is not only how to stop the current war, but how to make any settlement durable. A ceasefire without credible protection could leave Ukraine exposed, even if the front line temporarily falls quiet.
He said Ukraine is still working to strengthen its position before any possible talks, including through strikes intended to show Russia remains vulnerable.
In that view, military pressure is not separate from diplomacy, but part of the effort to enter negotiations from a stronger position.
That makes outside guarantees crucial. For Ukraine, the value of any deal would depend on whether it limits Moscow’s ability to regroup, rebuild pressure and dictate the next phase on its own terms.
“What is crucial is to get guarantees, because what is the point of ending the war if the Russians start it again in half a year,” Lachowski finishes.
Sources: Wirtualna Polska, Żeby Wiedzieć video clip
