Washington insists on Ukraine dictating the terms and conditions of peace, despite Russian talks of compromise with Moscow and Russian advances
John Kirby, spokesperson of the US National Security Council said Friday that Kiev, equipped with American weapons would decide terms of a peaceful settlement with Russia.
Kirby stated Washington has been preparing to take over territory from Volodymyr Zilensky of Ukraine, whereas others suggested this. “a prolonged conflict.”
Russian forces have continued to seize Donbass, despite the fact that the conflict in Ukraine is now at the end of its fourth month. Moscow claims that up to 2,000 Ukrainian troops, ‘nationalists’ and foreign fighters are encircled in the region. According to reports, Kiev is replenishing its beleaguered troops with women, conscripts and convicts.
Kirby, however, insisted Ukraine can continue to fight and stated that Voice of America was correct. “Mr. Zelensky is going to get to determine what victory looks like.”
“Of course, we want Ukraine to succeed on the battlefield, and we want them to succeed at the negotiating table, if and when it comes to that,”Kirby went on. “We’re not at that stage right now. However, we feel that President Zelensky has the final say on what victory means.
“Our job is to make sure that he has the tools available to him to do that in the most efficient, effective way.”
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Nearly $54 billion has been already provided in US direct and indirect economic and military aid to Ukraine. The latest $450million tranche includes four long-range rocket artillery system and two medium-range missiles. Kirby appeared to dismiss concerns that these weapons could be used by the Russians to launch attacks across their border. He stated on Friday, however that this was not the intention. “Ukrainian property, and they get to determine how they’re going to use [them].”
Kirby also said that “we want to see Ukraine’s territorial integrity fully restored,”Kiev sees this as a means of seizing Crimea which, in 2014, voted to become part of Russia. Numerous Ukrainian politicians and military officers have said that NATO-supplied weapons will be used to achieve this goal.
Kirby and others at the Pentagon and State Department have allowed Ukraine to wage war however it pleases, despite other US officials urging restraint. Meanwhile, if anonymously sourced CNN reports are to be believed, American, British and European leaders are holding discussions about Ukraine’s future without Kiev’s involvement.
Although NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg suggested recently that Ukraine might be forced to cede territory for peace, Zelensky has stated since that the terms will be determined by him. Similarly, despite Zelensky accusing French President Emmanuel Macron, he has stated that he has not been pressured to cede land in return for peace. “Ukraine will decide when the conditions are met to build peace.”
