Putin rejects Zelensky's territorial concession remarks

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement about accepting territorial losses for peace inappropriate, asserting the territories in question are historically Russian. Putin said in an interview that residents of these territories voted for independence and then for reunification with Russia, making discussions of territorial losses "inappropriate." The remarks were made in response to Zelensky's expressed willingness to cede territory to achieve peace, as reported by Interfax on October 22.