As a Ukrainian MP, I must be honest with my people

 As this year draws to a close, one of the most consequential debates for Ukraine is coming into sharp focus. We cannot afford to waste this moment. Peace negotiations are not merely a diplomatic exercise for us; they carry the weight of national survival. Honesty is essential and we must not allow ourselves to drift into comforting illusions.

As Ukrainian politicians, our duty is to speak plainly to our people. Strength is measured not only by a willingness to fight, but also by the intelligence to halt when the cost threatens your existence. There is bravery in resistance as well as clarity.

At such a crossroads, Ukraine must act with firmness and precision. Pragmatism and realism – not fantasy, not wishful thinking – are the closest allies we have. Illusions can be fatal. Unrealistic expectations can sabotage the one real chance to end suffering. Realism is not defeatism.

Ukraine at this stage cannot defeat Russia militarily. Millions of Ukrainians want victory; true victory, justice and accountability. We want our enemy punished for their atrocities and their terror. But honesty matters. Despite unprecedented Western support, despite our fierce will, we remain the smaller, weaker side.

Yet the Russians are not winning either. They are bogged down. They capture mere meters of land at enormous human cost. Terror is their strategy – bombing apartment blocks, hospitals and churches. They failed to take Kyiv.

Still, the constant pressure they exert – the drones, the missile attacks, the endless strain – hangs over Ukrainians like a black cloud. Ukraine stands at a fork in the road where courage meets exhaustion, and where strategy must replace emotion. This is the situation we find ourselves.

Credit: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kyiv

It is significant that a draft peace agreement has finally emerged. It represents substantial work and difficult conversations. But again, realism must guide us. Several elements in the proposal are unacceptable for Ukraine – core principles we cannot and will not abandon.

There are four crucial points: territory, army, security guarantees, and European integration.

The agreement refers to limiting the size of the army. It mentions the figure of 800,000 service members and this number truly matters. Ukraine needs a professional, modern armed forces capable of deterring future aggression and ensuring that no enemy ever again miscalculates our readiness. Without an army, there is no sovereignty. No borders. No future.

The United States is the one country capable of providing such guarantees. American guarantees carry real weight. It is also crucial that the vote on this document in Congress could have significant power. It may determine Ukraine’s fate for decades to come.

European integration is another cornerstone. EU membership is not symbolic; it is the only structural anchor capable of supporting Ukraine in the future. And Ukraine, in turn, can also strengthen the EU through its experience, its military expertise and its economic potential. Yes, we need reconstruction, but I can assure you: Ukrainians deeply long for an end to the war and a return to normal life: to work, to invest in the future, to develop business and grow the economy.

For all these reasons, diplomacy must now work at full capacity. Ukraine must be able to articulate its red lines, clarify its needs, and negotiate without illusions. This is not the time for beautified narratives. It is a time for sober analysis.

For years, Ukraine was told fairy tales about the triumph of democracy as if words alone could shield us. But we were protected not by speeches, but by missiles, tanks, air-defence systems. And right now, there are not enough of them. Reality must replace rhetoric.

Ukraine must shape its diplomatic strategy with clear eyes: acknowledging limitations does not mean embracing defeat.

What Ukraine needs now is peace – real, enforceable, durable peace. Only then can we begin the enormous task of rebuilding our country, reconstructing our cities, healing our military and bringing home our people. But that is a different conversation.