A key political ally of Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine has called for a peace deal that prioritizes people over territory ahead of a major conference in the war-torn country.
Vitaliy Kim, the Governor of Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region and a rising star in Ukrainian politics, spoke with "The Independent" as fellow governors and mayors gather to discuss where the peace line should be drawn in the war with Russia.
Kim led the Mykolaiv branch of Zelensky’s "Servant of the People" party during the 2019 elections and was appointed regional governor by the Ukrainian President in November 2020.
His significant remarks on the eve of the "Frontline Cities and Communities Forum 2026"—where local leaders will attempt to find consensus on their requirements for a peace settlement—underscore a growing readiness to shift the focus from border disputes toward security guarantees.
He also issued a warning to allies, including the UK, who are preparing to join a so-called "Coalition of the Willing" to guarantee the peace, urging them to learn the lessons of Neville Chamberlain and the 1930s policy of appeasement.
Asked about his priorities for a peace plan led by Donald Trump, Governor Kim said: "Land is important, but people are more important, and the situation is such that we do not know what tomorrow will bring."
He admitted: "For me personally, victory means our 1991 borders where people are happy and aren't being killed, but everyone is very tired."
"Therefore, for the Ukrainian people, I think victory is simply stopping the war and having some security guarantees for the future so that our children can have the life we had before the invasion."
"I think for most of our people, victory is having life as it was before the invasion. And this is very important to us because a long time has passed."
Regarding his fears of history repeating itself with Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron in a "Coalition of the Willing," he noted: "I remember history, when Chamberlain signed that paper, when other leaders promised to fight the aggressor—I remember what happened next."
He stressed the need to look at the broader implications of the war beyond Ukraine’s borders.
"This is not just our problem in Ukraine," he said. "From my point of view, this is a war between autocratic and democratic countries, and a victory for the rule of law over the rule of force."
The 44-year-old politician from the strategic Black Sea port of Mykolaiv noted that, by comparison, the losses in the war unleashed by Vladimir Putin are "already worse than in World War II."
His region sat on the frontline until Ukrainian forces pushed Russian units back, and it has since provided vital support to the new frontline in Kherson.
While many estimate the Russian economy is two years away from collapse due to sanctions, Mr. Kim expressed doubts about whether Ukraine can hold out that long.
He said: "The Russian economy is suffering too, and in my opinion, they have a couple of years before a public decline begins. I think Russia knows this, but they still have time, and Ukraine does not."
"We are exhausted—and primarily it is not about weapons or missiles, but about people. There are only 40 million of us, and everyone is exhausted. Our soldiers cannot fight for four to ten years."
He suggested that President Trump had achieved a breakthrough because "he is unpredictable," which has complicated matters for the Russians.
He added: "If this were traditional politics, step by step, nothing could be changed with Russia because they can predict that. The only way to change something is through the unpredictable international politics that Donald Trump is currently engaging in."
"I truly believe that only through such measures—economic strength, physical strength—only that way can we stop Russia."
