Ukraine warns US over consequences of quick peace talks with rf - The Telegraph
Kyiv • UNN
Kiev warns US against forcing talks with russia without military advantage. The Ukrainian authorities emphasize the need to put pressure on the Russian economy before starting the peace process.
Officials in Kiev ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration have warned the US that forcing Ukraine to negotiate with Russia before it regains battlefield advantage would be a disastrous mistake, they warn. About it writes The Telegraph, reports UNN.
Details
According to the article, fearing that the new U.S. administration may cut military aid if he refuses to negotiate, Vladimir Zelensky is trying to make the case that Ukraine first needs time and support to escalate its campaign deep inside russia. According to Zelensky's aides, failure to make Vladimir Putin “feel the pain” before negotiations will strengthen the Russian dictator, weaken Ukraine and ultimately damage the reputation and interests of the West.
Britain to play 'full role' in any peace talks on Ukraine - Starmer17.01.2025, 02:35 • 33865 views
Seeking a quick repeat of the truce between Israel and Hamas, Trump repeatedly promised during the campaign that he would end the war between russia and Ukraine within 24 hours. Although the incoming president's team admits this will not happen, Keith Kellogg, a retired general who is Trump's envoy for Ukraine, has given 100 days to end the war.
Such timelines have caused deep concern in Kiev, where officials warn that a hasty start to the talks would simply play into Putin's hands. “The bottom line is that there are no easy and quick solutions here,” said Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to the head of the Office of the President, And he added: “The initiative must be controlled. It should not be given to Russia.
Podolyak said the AFU strikes on rf territory have a significant impact on the russian economy, which is Putin's most vulnerable point, and it is crucial that Ukraine gets support to force the Kremlin into negotiations out of necessity, not out of choice.
“Currently, 46 percent of Russia's oil refineries are under attack or within range of Ukrainian weapons,” he added. This means that russia is gradually losing a significant part of this key sector of its economy.
We must be able to maintain such pressure if we are to start negotiations from a position of strength. Only if Russia suffers losses will it be ready for serious negotiations
As The Telegraph notes, despite the guarded optimism, Ukrainian officials are slowly preparing for the fact that they will have to negotiate from a less than ideal position if Trump remains adamant and if, Putin is willing to negotiate at all.
If the negotiations do take place, says Olena Sotnik, advisor to the deputy prime minister, it is crucial that they are conducted not only between Russia and the United States, but also that Ukraine and its European partners, particularly Great Britain, also sit at the negotiating table.
