A series of statements by US President Donald Trump in recent days have reached the snow-covered trenches of eastern Ukraine, where soldiers are struggling to cope with waves of attacks from Russian troops.
Committing to ending the war in Ukraine soon, the White House owner is taking steps to promote it, such as organizing a high-level US-Russia dialogue in Saudi Arabia on February 18, as well as making statements that make Ukraine worry that it will have to make concessions on many aspects.
Trump calls Zelensky a 'dictator' in war of words over peace talks
Concerns spread
In a discreet house on the edge of the town of Lyman in Donetsk, just over 10 km from Russian positions, a soldier with the alias Serhii of Ukraine's 115th Mechanized Brigade said "everyone is talking about Mr. Trump's statements."
"I still think there is a chance that the tense period (between the US and Ukraine) will be followed by a calmer period," Foreign Policy quoted the soldier as hoping. Another soldier in the brigade, Oleksandr, said the situation was difficult because many soldiers did not understand the political developments. "The Russians will push and we do not know what Trump wants. Someone has to think about Ukraine because we are running out of manpower," the soldier worried.
Soldiers of the 68th Ukrainian Jaeger Brigade rest in Donetsk.
Battalion commander Volodymyr Sablyn of the 66th Mechanized Brigade fighting near Lyman said that if peace talks included Russia taking control of some Ukrainian territory, it would have dangerous consequences. "This would set a precedent and show that Russia can attack any country, take control of its territory and make it theirs with impunity," he warned.
Pressure continues
Speaking to reporters at the White House on February 20, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to return to the mineral negotiations with the US. Previously, Mr. Zelensky rejected the US proposal to pay $500 billion in minerals in exchange for continued US aid. After receiving US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg on February 20, President Zelensky pledged to quickly come up with "a strong agreement on investment and security" with the US.
Trump 'very disappointed' by Ukraine's rejection of mineral deal
There are other signs that the White House is continuing to pressure Ukraine, according to The Guardian . The US is refusing to support a draft UN resolution to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The resolution would condemn Russia, reaffirm Ukraine’s sovereignty and the border between the two countries before 2014, when Russia had not annexed Crimea. The White House also did not support a statement from the G7 countries criticizing Russia and disagreed with plans to allow Mr Zelensky to address the leaders of the group, according to the Financial Times. The G7 includes the UK, Canada, Germany, the US, Japan, France and Italy.
Many sides speak up
Concerned about the adverse developments in Ukraine and the region, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Mr. Zelensky on February 20 to discuss the latest diplomatic efforts and prepare for his visit to the United States on February 24. Mr. Macron said he would try to convince Mr. Trump that his interests were aligned with those of Europe, and urged Mr. Trump not to be “weak” toward Mr. Putin.
In a phone call with President Zelensky on February 20, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stressed that any agreement to end hostilities with Russia must include Ukraine in the negotiations. Speaking at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in South Africa on February 21, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar hoped that the parties in the conflict in Ukraine would cooperate to resolve the issue. At the conference, Politburo member - Chairman of the Central Party's Foreign Affairs Commission - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that his country "supports all efforts that are conducive to peace" in Ukraine, including the recent consensus reached between the US and Russia.
Poland calls for strengthening European borders
Reuters on February 21 quoted Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk calling for increased air patrols, increased Baltic defenses and strengthening the European Union's (EU) border with Russia, due to growing security concerns. "Enough talk, time for action!", Mr. Tusk emphasized. He urged the EU to quickly adopt new rules to fund efforts to improve European defense and called on the EU to use frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine. For his part, French President Emmanuel Macron called on Europe to come together to create a "massive defense plan" for the continent. According to him, Europe will not create a common army, but can together create a common defense capacity, self-reliant against the US.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tien-tuyen-ukraine-duoi-ap-luc-tu-hau-truong-185250221223255508.htm
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