No treaties with Russia will end war - former Ambassador
Photo: Valerii Chalyi (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The war in Ukraine cannot be ended by treaties with Russia. To end it, we need to get out of the contact war, and Ukraine's partners can help to do this, says Valerii Chalyi, former Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States and Chairman of the Board of Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
“We need a plan to transition from a full-scale war to a different intensity of conflict. We won’t end the war with any agreements with Russia. We need to move away from ground clashes where Kalashnikovs are firing, and large numbers of people are dying in close-contact warfare at distances of 3, 5, or 10 kilometers. How do we do that? With precision sniper weapons, howitzers, and accurate missiles. The paradox is that Ukraine, with the help of America and other partners, could shift to a more humane type of war,” he said.
The diplomat is convinced that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may decide to end the war if he sees guaranteed support for Ukraine. According to Chalyi, Putin needs war, but he does not care where to fight.
“Partly, his goal is to destroy Ukraine as a country that has shown a successful development model. But he still regrets the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the restoration of the empire is his goal. However, he doesn't have to start with Ukraine. He could have gone for the Baltic states, headed in another direction, or gone after Kazakhstan, bringing it more in line with Belarus as a closer ally. He could have done a lot. But our weakness brought him here. And that’s his mistake because it will destroy his model,” the former ambassador believes.
Chalyi notes that the world is currently experiencing a period of regional wars, as evidenced by the events in the Middle East and Asia. Therefore, according to him, Ukraine needs to move the war to the other side, away from Europe, and put up a barrier.
Negotiations between Ukraine and Russia
Ukraine and Russia are not currently engaged in peace talks. However, at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the parties held several rounds of talks in Belarus and Türkiye.
Ukraine said that it would be ready to return to the negotiating table when its position becomes stronger, including on the battlefield. Ukraine has created a peace formula and a peace summit as a diplomatic way to end the war.
Also, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a plan for victory. He presented it in the United States. According to the President, the plan will soon be disclosed to all Ukrainians.
