The US is urging Ukraine to be open to peace talks with Russia, an expert said, but Kyiv has no interest in opening the door to talks with Moscow.
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“For months, Ukraine has been achieving victories and regaining its lands, so what is the point of negotiating? And for negotiation what? Permanent concession of Donbass and Crimea? Can Russia rearm and attack the country again? that”.
There is no opening
If the United States calls on Ukraine to open up to peace negotiations with Russia, everything will be decided on the ground, says the holder of the chair of Ukrainian studies.
Ukraine is playing with the wind after seizing regions in the east such as Kharkiv and now Kherson. Russia is losing the war militarily, so diplomatically there is no opening.
The Ukrainian president is firm on his terms: he wants the withdrawal of Russian forces from all territories and compensation for the crimes committed.
For François Audit, a professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal and director of the Montreal Institute of International Studies, it is not surprising to see the United States pressuring Kyiv for cease-fire talks.
“The stagnant conflict agitates the Russian and Ukrainian position and leaves the population very vulnerable at this time of year,” he explains.
Because Ukraine is already facing major challenges, while nearly half of its energy infrastructure is out of order due to the intense Russian bombing in recent weeks.
This deliberate strategy of targeting electrical infrastructure at this time is specifically intended to impact the civilian population. The cold, but also the ability to cook, will particularly affect civilians, ”says François Audit.
No pressure
For its part, the White House reiterated, on Friday, that only Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in a position to agree to open negotiations, rejecting any idea of US pressure on Kyiv.
“We’ve also said it’s up to President Zelensky to say if and when he will be ready for negotiations and what form those negotiations will take,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
– With AFP
