Expert Alexander Kraev is confident that negotiations will begin as soon as necessary.
Western partners are ready to provide new weapons for Ukraine’s counter-offensive and are not forcing Ukraine into negotiations. Comments about this Focus said Alexander Kraev, director of the North America program at the Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council.
“Now the sanctions continue to systematically keep Russia under control, and they are working. Sanctions against China are also added to them. However, there are still arguments from the Global South and some Western allies that we still have to go,” he states. We have to negotiate because we have to negotiate. So there should be negotiation for negotiation’s sake. “Our President’s clear reaction is an indication that there will be no negotiation for the sake of negotiation.”
The expert believes that negotiations will begin as soon as necessary. Western partners, especially the Americans, are also in this position.
“We must pay tribute to Blinken, he made a very correct transition. On the one hand, America always supports negotiations, but only when all parties are ready for it,” Kraev said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his recent visit to Kiev, said that he believes that Ukraine is ready to negotiate with the Russian Federation if the Russian side shows interest in diplomacy. “But it takes two to tango. And so far we haven’t seen any signs that Vladimir Putin is interested in diplomacy,” he said.
Kraev notes that Americans are very clear about what they see as their interests.
“Everything should start with the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. After that, you can start talking at the table. So the Americans do not consider any assumptions: “well, let’s try to agree now” “we will find an intermediate option.” Russians leave Ukrainian territory – “Then we can start talking. Before that, there is nothing to talk about, because the region is occupied and the Russians are bombing Ukrainian cities, what kind of attack will there be? Can we talk here?”
Let’s remember that Antony Blinken said during his visit to Kiev that “there is good progress in the counter-offensive, which is inspiring.”
Read more in the material Focus“Peace negotiations or a long war. Why is it implied that Ukraine is at the negotiating table.”
Source: Focus
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