Katya Soldak
Forbes
September 22, 2025
More than three and a half years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, and over a decade since Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea and eastern territories, Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty under conditions that are militarily, politically, and economically grueling. The biggest problem is the absence of a unified vision—among Ukraine’s partners or even internally—on what ending the war actually means. A diverse group of international leaders, military officials, and policy architects gathered in Kyiv in mid-September for the Yalta European Strategy 21st annual summit (YES), organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation. Named for its original locale, the conference was moved to Kyiv after Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014. Each year of war since Russia’s full scale invasion, the summit, attended in person by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has captured the prevailing sentiment on both the global and domestic fronts. This year’s takeaway was that the war could last for years, as there is no clear consensus on how to bring it to a conclusion.
Ukraine’s Position: No Land for Peace
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was direct in his message. “Giving Putin any piece of Ukrainian land so that he stops the war is out of the question,” he said at the summit. “This is not a solution, it is, instead, a pause – just like it was after 2008 in Georgia, just like it was after 2014 in Crimea and Donetsk.” His message resonates with Ukraine’s public, who understand that appeasing Russia will never bring peace.
Zelenskyy emphasized that any genuine end to the war must include justice: “We need Russia to be held accountable for what it did to Ukraine, to Ukrainians, to our people.” Widespread systematic, government-ordered war crimes, torture, rape, kidnapping children, and abuse committed by Russia in Ukraine cannot go unpunished. Andriy Yermak, President Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, reinforced that accountability is non-negotiable. “There are proposals to give Russia back its frozen assets if there is a ceasefire. Our answer is, ‘No, this is not the price of a ceasefire.’” Beyond the geopolitical calculus, Ukrainian veterans and prisoners of war reminded the audience of the stakes and of the human costs. Yulian Pylypei, a marine and former POW, recounted brutal beatings in Russian captivity. First-hand accounts from both combatants and civilians who were tortured by Russian troops, make the idea of Russia getting away without being held to account seem like a crime in itself.
U.S. Messaging: Close to the End…But How?
President Donald Trump, in his video address to the YES summit, said, “I believe this war, ultimately, will not end on the battlefield; it will end at the negotiation table.” Retired General
Keith Kellogg, Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine and advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, sounded an optimistic tone. “We are exceptionally close to the end. The last ten yards are the hardest part of the fight,” he said, contingent on continued partner support. He noted that while sanctions are strong (“a six out of 10”), enforcement is lacking: “We are at an enforcement level of three.”
Katya Soldak is a New-York-based journalist and the editorial director of Forbes Media’s international editions. Originally from Kharkiv, Ukraine, Katya is the director of the documentary The Long Breakup and the author of the memoir-essay This Is How Propaganda Works, about growing up in the Soviet Union. Forbes reporters follow company ethical guidelines that ensure the highest quality