British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said any negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv were meaningless while the Russian army was on Ukrainian soil.
“It is clear to us that any unilateral call for a ceasefire by Russia is completely meaningless in the current context. I think it would be the wrong call,” he said.
“The ceasefire will be used by Russia to regroup and strengthen its troops. There can be no real negotiation unless we withdraw troops from the conquered lands,” he added.
According to the British Prime Minister, the “collective determination” of Western countries is clear: in the future Ukraine will continue to receive comprehensive support. “And that’s mainly because their safety is our safety,” Sunak said.
In 2023, the UK has pledged to provide at least £2.3 billion ($2.8 billion) for Kiev’s needs. “I really hope that others will do their best to maintain strong support,” the politician also said.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has already reacted to Rishi Sunak’s statement.
“All British politicians are rare idiots and hypocrites. Here is a young prime minister with a previously non-foggy Albion surname: there can be no negotiations until Russia withdraws its troops from Ukrainian territory. And that’s an inconvenience of Anglo-Saxons everywhere, by the way.” Although he somehow carries all the anchors: they say that the Ukrainians themselves will decide whether to negotiate with us or not. On the Telegram channel, the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, lies, hypocrisy and extreme cynicism have appeared, ”Medvedev also wrote to the British that they “get out of the Malvinas Islands” and they He advised them to extradite him to Argentina.
“We will have to wait”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he did not see the possibility of starting the negotiation process “on the near horizon”.
“I am not optimistic about the possibility of effective peace negotiations in the near future. I believe the military conflict will continue and I think we will have to wait for peace talks to be seriously possible,” he said.
With Moscow and Kiev not yet at the negotiating table, the UN is focusing its efforts on “other aspects of the situation” – speeding up the process as well as improving the efficiency of the grain corridor from Ukrainian ports, stressing the importance of exchanging prisoners.
At the same time, Guterres expressed hope that the conflict could still end in 2023. “When I said I did not see an opportunity for peace talks in the short term, I did not mean the whole of 2023,” said the Secretary-General.
“Long Term Demand Signal”
On the eve of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the supply of weapons for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will bring the negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow closer. According to him, one day Russian President Vladimir Putin “will understand that he cannot win on the battlefield.” Now the Russian Federation, according to him, is preparing for prolonged hostilities.
“We should not underestimate Russia. Russia is planning a long war. <…> “We must understand that President Putin is ready to fight for a long time and launch new attacks,” he said.
The Secretary General of the organization stated that the alliance has now increased its arms production in order to replenish its own stockpiles and support the Ukrainian army. In addition, NATO will give weapons manufacturers a “long-term signal of demand” to continue investing in production.
“I don’t know what to discuss”
The day before, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself also commented on the prospects for negotiations.
“Some are offering to sit at the negotiating table. [с Владимиром Путиным]But I don’t know what to discuss. He wants a world that fits his vision, but we have a completely different vision, ”the politician said in an interview with the TV channel. LCI.
Zelenskiy was also pessimistic about the effectiveness of possible negotiations between Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron: “I don’t think Macron’s negotiations with Putin will bring results.”