That is true," Zelensky told the Japanese news agency regarding the liberation of territories held by Russia since 2014, including Crimea."We do have to find diplomatic solutions," he said, adding that liberation by force could be considered when Ukraine is strong enough to prevent new aggression by Russia.The statement aligns with a recent rhetoric shift in Kyiv as Moscow's forces keep advancing in the east, and the future of Western support is uncertain under Donald Trump's upcoming presidency.Zelensky had long been adamant about Ukraine's full territorial integrity as a key cornerstone of any peace deal. His more recent comments show a willingness to defer the status of occupied territories in exchange for entry into NATO while not recognizing Russian occupation as legitimate.

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