Ukraine's Foreign Minister Says Allies Don't Pressure Ukraine to Freeze War

Monday, 8 January 2024

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says that Ukraine is not being pushed by its Western allies in any format of communication to start negotiations with Russia and freeze the war. 

Kuleba was asked in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País whether the allies had made any suggestions to freeze the war. He replied that this was not being discussed.

"Our allies have not asked us to negotiate with Russia to freeze the war, either when we have sat down with the delegations, or in behind closed doors meetings in a reduced format. This is not something that anyone can dare to put on the table as an option. Everything else is just noise," Dmytro Kuleba said.

He also responded to supporters of the idea that a frozen war would be in Ukraine's own interest.

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"Those who are suggesting a frozen conflict, arguing that they are acting in the best interests of Ukraine and the world, are in reality helping Putin and ignoring what today’s Russia is.  Between 2014 and 2022 we held almost 200 rounds of talks with Russia, it was already a de-facto frozen conflict. We tried. We announced and established 20 ceasefires, all of which were broken by Russia, and endless negotiations ended up with Putin’s large-scale invasion.

There are wars which are black and white, where one side must win and another side must lose.  And the Russian aggression against Ukraine is that kind of war. Ukraine must win. Russia must lose. And all the political thinking should be centred around achieving this goal," Dmytro Kuleba stressed. 

He also answered the question of what to expect if the US Congress fails to agree on funding for further military support for Ukraine in the near future.

Earlier, Kuleba also said that it is easier for the West to defeat Russia now than during the Cold War.

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