Diplomacy may be 'only way' to restore occupied territories, Zelensky says

Diplomatic means may be the only way to eventually return some Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a working visit to Chernihiv on April 3.

Russia now occupies about 20$ of Ukraine. Russian forces control parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, and have also occupied Crimea since the peninsula's illegal annexation in 2014.

Ukraine will never recognize the occupied territories as Russian, Zelensky told a group of entrepreneurs in Chernihiv.

"These are Ukrainian territories ... this is one of the main red lines for us, in any case, this is a temporary occupation of territories," he said.

A just peace will be achieved when Ukraine's territorial integrity is restored, Zelensky said, but this may involve a lengthy diplomatic process.

"But if it is possible to find a compromise so that the return of these territories occurs over time through diplomatic means, I think that, probably, as far as some territories are concerned, this will be the only way," he said.

Zelensky traveled to Chernihiv Oblast on April 3 for meetings with local government officials, business representatives, and residents. His visit marked the third anniversary of the liberation of the village of Yahidne from Russian occupation.

During the occupation, all 350 residents of Yahidne were held in the basement of the local school for nearly one month. There were about 80 children among the hostages, including infants. Ten villagers died due to the conditions of captivity, while another 17 were killed by Russian forces.

Over three million Ukrainians are estimated to live under Russian occupation. Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 20 issued a decree demanding that all Ukrainians living in the occupied regions submit to Russian law by Sept. 10 or face legal consequences.

U.S. officials have said that territorial concessions will be necessary to secure a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Kyiv has consistently maintained that it will not formally recognize Ukrainian territories as Russian as part of any peace deal.