Ukraine clearly aware that war will end with negotiations – top security official
Ukraine is clearly aware that the war with Russia will end with negotiations, said Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. However, it should not be a truce for a few years, but a stable peace for decades.
Lytvynenko stated this in an address to the participants of the Forum of the Baltic Sea region "NATO 2024 and Arctic Europe", which started on May 20 in Finland.
The secretary of the National Security Council noted that the situation at the front "is extremely difficult, but far from catastrophic." Ukrainian troops continue heavy fighting while the Russians strike critical infrastructure from the air. This can be stopped, but Ukraine needs modern weapons, primarily air defense and ammunition, said Lytvynenko.
"If today you do not find weapons for Ukraine, tomorrow you will look for them for yourself. And what, I think, is more important for you, your soldiers will die. As currently, the best sons and daughters of Ukraine are dying," he added.
Ukraine is clearly aware that the war will end with negotiations. And that is why, according to Lytvynenko, Volodymyr Zelenskyy's peace formula was prepared and is being promoted. The secretary of the National Security Council is convinced that the position of Ukraine will be supported by the participants of the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland in June.
"But we do not need a truce for two years, but a stable peace for a decade, which would enable the development of Ukraine. And this is a matter of security guarantees," the secretary of the NSDC stressed.
According to Lytvynenko, security agreements signed with various countries are an important step. But Ukraine needs real guarantees, which currently only NATO membership can provide. That is why Ukraine hopes to receive an invitation to the Alliance at this year's Washington NATO summit.
The possibility of negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation
Russia has stated several times that it is supposedly ready for peace negotiations with Ukraine, but at the same time rejects Kyiv's proposals and initiatives, and also does not support the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that it is necessary to devise a detailed plan together with the world before talking with Russia about ending the war. Moscow was not invited to the first Global Peace Summit to be held in June.
A number of analysts are convinced that Russia will not enter into negotiations before the presidential elections in the United States in November 2024, hoping that Donald Trump will win and force Ukraine to accept favorable conditions for Russia.