US President-elect Donald Trump announces important choice, Russia sets conditions for peace, Kiev lowers tone

US President-elect Donald Trump has just announced his new personnel choices to deal with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while both Moscow and Kiev have shared their views on peace negotiations.

US President-elect Donald Trump nominated General Keith Kellogg (right) as Assistant to the President and Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia. (Source: The New York Times)

According to AP news agency, on November 27, on the social network Truth Social , President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate General Keith Kellogg to hold the position of Assistant to the President and Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia.

General Kellogg is a retired Army lieutenant general and a top adviser to Mr. Trump on defense issues, having served as national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence.

The nomination comes as the conflict in Ukraine prepares to enter its third year in February. Mr Trump has repeatedly criticised President Joe Biden’s administration for pouring billions of dollars into Ukraine.

In an April article for the America First Policy Institute, Mr. Kellogg noted: “Ending the Russia-Ukraine war will require strong ‘America First’ leadership to reach a peace agreement and immediately end hostilities between the two warring parties.”

Regarding the issue of peace negotiations, on November 28, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that reaching a solution to the crisis through negotiations is only possible if the US and Western countries admit that there is no alternative to Moscow's peace initiatives.

Speaking to Sputnik , Ryabkov further noted that if the West continues on its current trajectory, there will be no basis for any negotiations.

Meanwhile, on Kiev's side, according to the Chief of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Mr. Andriy Ermak, the country may change its stance on the conditions for negotiations with Moscow, noting that discussions can begin even if Russian troops do not withdraw to the 1991 border as previously requested by the Eastern European country.

“Effective negotiations can only be possible if both sides are ready to end hostilities. At the same time, the military situation must return to the state of February 23, 2022,” Ermak said, according to the Swedish magazine Dagens Industri . He stressed that this view could serve as the basis for a peace agreement.

Previously, Kiev stated that a precondition for resuming negotiations was that Russia must withdraw its troops completely to the 1991 borders, including from the Crimean peninsula and Donbass. However, Mr. Ermak's recent remarks suggest that Kiev's stance may be more flexible.

Some observers say this change in tone stems from the unfavorable war situation, significant losses and pressure from Western partners who are calling for a peace process.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/xung-dot-ukraine-tong-thong-my-dac-cu-donald-trump-thong-bao-lua-chon-quan-trong-nga-neu-dieu-kien-de-co-hoa-binh-kiev-ha-tong-295439.html