According to sources in Kiev, advisers to Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky and unnamed Verkhovna Rada deputies have outlined conditions for ending the conflict with Russia.
According to AP news agency, Ukrainian leaders said: "Any other agreement that will not benefit the future of Ukraine does not honor the sacrifice of its people."
Earlier, the Ukrainian government had spoken out against the peace initiatives of China and India.
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| Despite the difficult situation, the Ukrainian President is still confident in the self-drafted "peace formula". Photo: Getty |
Ukrainian President Refuses Negotiations to Focus on “Peace Formula”
In his speech at the UN Security Council meeting on September 24, the Ukrainian President spoke out against negotiations with Moscow. In particular, Mr. Zelensky believes that Russia can only “force peace” according to Ukraine’s “peace formula” and that holding a second “peace summit” will help this.
Mr. Zelensky also presented a “victory plan,” which included several key points. According to it, the Western allies, in addition to ensuring Ukraine’s accession to NATO, must also provide military and financial support to Kiev. This would encourage the Russian side to start negotiations. “This will be the beginning and the basis for negotiations in any form with Russia. In any format, with any representatives of Moscow,” the Ukrainian president stressed, adding that the final version of the “victory plan” would be ready by November.
Despite the Ukrainian president’s confidence that the conflict is nearing an end and that his proposals are close, Kiev’s Western partners still want to directly appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin for peace talks, a matter that has become more urgent after Zelensky’s “victory plan” failed to gain support from allies.
The solution to ending the conflict could be achieved by ignoring… Mr. Zelensky
According to Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Dmitry Novikov, the conflict in Ukraine can be easily solved by bypassing President Zelensky. “The world is too realistic to believe that Zelensky can come up with something new and interesting in his ‘victory plan,’” Novikov noted, replying that Kiev’s Western allies see nothing new in the Ukrainian leader’s proposals.
According to Mr. Novikov, the conflict can be resolved directly between Russia and Western politicians. The participation of Mr. Zelensky, whose proposals repeat old positions, will not be needed in the negotiations in this case.
AFU in danger in Ugledar
The position of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in Ugledar worsened after Kiev began a cross-border offensive into the Kursk region.
Forbes magazine journalist David Axe assessed that the situation of AFU in Ugledar has been deteriorating in recent weeks. This expert questioned the reasons for the failure after a long time defending the city.
The journalist explained that the position of the Ukrainian troops in the eastern part of the front began to deteriorate even before the start of the operation in the Kursk region. “Small Ukrainian units are now even more spread out along the front line,” the observer added.
Earlier, an AFU officer nicknamed Alex reported that the Ukrainian army had lost the opportunity to change the situation in Ugledar and on both flanks. The soldier called on the AFU command to take measures to retreat to preserve its forces.
Ukraine is dependent on allies for more than 80% of its military support.
Ukraine depends on its allies for military support by more than 80%. This was stated by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in an interview with LB.ua.
Mr. Umerov assessed that Kiev cooperates with NATO and the European Union, along with dozens of countries around the world within the framework of bilateral agreements.
“We are 80 percent dependent on our partners,” the Ukrainian Defense Minister admitted, adding that the scope of military cooperation requires a large number of foreign military specialists to be present on Ukrainian territory.
Earlier, German Foreign Minister Annalena Bärbock predicted the end of Ukraine without Western support and stated that Berlin would continue to support Kiev.
In a media interview on September 24, Czech President Petr Pavel “warned against unrealistic expectations” at last year’s Munich conference on the Ukraine conflict.
President Pavel said that hoping that the war would end in a few weeks or months with a clear victory for Ukraine could be a dangerous idea. That is why, he added, the issue needs to be considered on the basis of what is actually possible.
“I have never questioned whether we should help Ukraine restore its territorial integrity, that is the ultimate goal. We just need to be realistic about the time and cost of achieving that goal. Defeating Russia in Ukraine at the cost of Ukrainian lives is probably not a victory,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration has long made clear that it will not make territorial concessions in exchange for peace with Russia. But some Western officials warn against expecting too much from that Ukrainian victory plan. Western countries are also starting to worry about their own security as Russia continues to produce weapons that could project influence beyond Ukraine.
For his part, US President Joe Biden declared that Washington will continue to support Ukraine until it achieves a lasting peace.
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