(Dan Tri) – Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced that allies do not pressure Kiev to start negotiations with Russia on freezing the conflict.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (Photo: Sputnik).
`Our allies do not ask us to start negotiations with Russia to freeze the conflict, neither when we meet with (Western) delegations nor at closed meetings,` Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro
`Proponents of freezing the conflict argue that they are acting in the best interests of Ukraine and the world, but in reality, they are helping (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and do not care what the country
At the end of December last year, the New York Times reported that President Putin was said to be implicitly signaling that Russia would be willing to cease fire along the current front line.
The Ukrainian diplomat said that Ukraine has held nearly 200 rounds of negotiations since Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, but this only led to Moscow continuing to launch a military campaign against Ukraine in February.
`From 2014 to 2022, we held nearly 200 rounds of negotiations with Russia. The conflict was practically frozen,` Mr. Kuleba emphasized.
According to the Ukrainian diplomat, Moscow is not interested in a frozen conflict or peace with Kiev.
Foreign Minister Kuleba also said that he believes the European Union (EU) will provide Ukraine with an aid package worth $54 billion, but added that Ukraine does not have a `plan B` without this aid package.
The European Council is scheduled to meet on February 1 to re-discuss the aid package, which was approved by all EU members except Hungary.
Last month, Hungary, which has been critical of EU policies towards Ukraine, blocked an aid package to Kiev.
Foreign Minister Kuleba believes that a positive decision will be made in February, and affirms `a clear and unanimous understanding among the 26 EU members, excluding Hungary, that this aid package will be provided under
When asked whether Ukraine has a backup plan in case the aid package is blocked, Mr. Kuleba said that there is no plan B, but emphasized that `we must put all our energy and attention into one thing: transforming
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly stated their views on the prerequisites for peace talks with Russia.
Kyiv argued that freezing the conflict would give Russia time to gather more forces to conduct an even larger offensive campaign.
However, Russia has repeatedly rejected these demands and declared that peace can only be achieved if Ukraine becomes a neutral country, gives up its ambition to join NATO, and recognizes Russia’s annexation of four territories from Ukraine.
Nick John