Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned against allowing aggressor states to seize territory, describing such concessions as a major strategic mistake that emboldens further expansion.
In a post published on X, Zelensky argued that the international community had repeatedly erred in failing to decisively confront Russian aggression, beginning with the 2014 annexation of Crimea and even earlier during Moscow’s military actions in Georgia and Chechnya.
“This is a big mistake to allow the aggressor to take something,” Zelensky wrote. “It was a big mistake at the very beginning, starting with 2014. And even before that, during the attack and occupation of parts of Georgia. And even before that, when Chechnya was occupied, with total destruction and one million casualties – both killed and wounded.”
The Ukrainian leader stressed that Russia’s actions in Georgia in 2008 and the annexation of Crimea in 2014 demonstrated a pattern in which limited international response only strengthened the Kremlin’s resolve. He warned that similar miscalculations should not be repeated.
Zelensky claimed that attempts to appease Russian President Vladimir Putin are ineffective and dangerous.
“You can’t stop Putin with your kisses or flowers,” he stated. “I never did it and that’s why I don’t feel that it’s the right way. My advice to everybody – don’t do that with Putin.”
Zelensky further argued that failure to respond firmly allows Russia time to regroup militarily. He claimed that Moscow would use any pause to rebuild and expand its armed forces.
“Otherwise, there will be a first step, then in five years, he will rebuild his military, increase the number of soldiers, his army will be well trained,” Zelensky said, noting that Russia has already suffered heavy battlefield losses in the ongoing war against Ukraine.
“He has lost a lot of well-trained people. He is losing 30–35 thousand people per month now. Can you imagine this in the 21st century? Can you imagine – he’s losing 35,000 each month?” the Ukrainian President stated.
Zelensky emphasized that his position is not limited to Ukraine’s national interest but reflects a broader warning to global leaders about the consequences of tolerating territorial aggression. He underscored that repeated accommodation of Moscow’s actions in Chechnya, Georgia, and Crimea had, in his view, contributed to the escalation seen in Ukraine since 2022.
The remarks come amid ongoing international debates over diplomatic solutions to the war and the long-term security architecture of Eastern Europe. Zelensky reiterated that enduring peace cannot be achieved through concessions that legitimize territorial occupation, arguing instead for sustained resistance and collective deterrence.
