Western officials oppose 'Munich Agreement' for Ukraine amid US election
100 high-ranking officials of Western states wrote an open letter in which they called on the countries of Europe to prepare for any results of the presidential elections in the United States and to prevent an agreement with Russia, reads the letter.
It was signed by 100 former senior diplomats, military commanders, intelligence chiefs, defense experts and senior politicians.
They believe that with the US elections approaching, Ukraine and its allies "face a twin strategic danger." One of them is the possible victory of Donald Trump, who, according to the authors of the letter, can "impose a deal with Russia detrimental to Ukraine’s interests, and to European security."
"This would leave Ukraine adrift from NATO and the EU, in a condition of fake neutrality – and Europe with a destabilizing geopolitical greyzone in the heart of the continent," the letter says.
Another scenario focuses on the possible victory of Kamala Harris, whose administration will "continue with the policies of stasis and red lines, which have to date withheld the capabilities with which Ukraine could win the war."
"In both cases the parallels with the 1938 Munich Agreement are clear: it would be a false ‘peace’ achieved through European acquiescence in the dismembering of a sovereign state, and would leave that state unable to defend itself against future aggression," the signatories believe.
At the same time, a third scenario is also possible, say the authors of the document. It consists in the survival of Ukraine as a sovereign state and the defeat of Russia. High-ranking officials are convinced that the inevitability of Russia's victory is a myth, and Ukraine can still win.
To do this, they call on European countries to "arm themselves with a real contingency plan", regardless of the results of the elections in the USA.
"The course of action we propose is, for a coalition of willing nations within NATO to commit to enhance military and financial support to Kyiv and to recommit to the aim of a sovereign Ukraine within its borders recognized by international law, focused around a clear strategy and theory of victory," the authors conclude.