A key ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a peace deal that prioritises people over land, ahead of a major conference in Ukraine on Thursday. Vitaliy Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv Oblast region, made the comments as governors and mayors gather to discuss where the peace line should be drawn in the war with Russia.
Kim, who headed the Mykolaiv branch of Zelensky's Servant of the People party and was appointed governor in 2020, spoke ahead of the Frontline Cities and Communities Forum 2026. He said the focus should shift from border arguments to security guarantees, admitting that for many Ukrainians, victory means stopping the war and ensuring future security rather than restoring 1991 borders.
He also warned allies, including the UK, preparing to join the so-called Coalition of the Willing to guarantee peace, to learn the lessons of Neville Chamberlain's appeasement in the 1930s. 'This is not a problem of our own in Ukraine,' Kim said. 'It is different wars between autocratic and democratic countries, and the power of rules over the power of force.'
The 44-year-old governor noted that losses in the war are already worse than the Second World War. While many estimate the Russian economy has two more years before collapsing under sanctions, Kim questioned whether Ukraine can survive that long. 'We are exhausted. It's not about weapons or missiles, it's about people. We've only 40 million people and everybody is exhausted. Our soldiers cannot fight for four to 10 years.'
Kim praised US President Donald Trump's unpredictable approach, saying it has made things more difficult for Russia. 'If it was traditional policy, step by step, nothing could be changed with Russia. The only way to change something is through unpredictable international policy.'
