Posted on 03/26/2022 10:49:57 AM PDT by bitt
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday called for “urgent” and “meaningful” peace talks with Russia that would deliver a negotiated end to the war on terms that are “fair” to Ukraine.
In a video address to the nation, Zelenskyy said that, to date, 16,000 Russian servicemen had been killed in the fighting as Ukrainian forces continue to mount staunch resistance.
“By restraining Russia’s actions, our defenders are leading the Russian leadership to a simple and logical idea: talk is necessary,” Zelenskyy said. “Meaningful. Urgent. Fair. For the sake of the result, not for the sake of the delay,” he added.
Some analysts and Western officials have called into question whether Russia has been sincere in its engagement in peace talks.
Britain’s foreign secretary Liz Truss has been an outspoken critic of Moscow’s engagement in the talks, expressing concern that they’re being used as a “smokescreen” by Russia to regroup ahead of a renewed offensive.
“I’m very skeptical,” Truss told The Times of London newspaper in a recent interview. “I fear the negotiation is yet another attempt to create a diversion and create a smokescreen. I don’t think we’re yet at a point for negotiation,” she said.
Zelenskyy said in Friday’s address that a conversation between the two sides must be “meaningful,” that Ukrainian sovereignty must be “guaranteed,” and that the country’s territorial integrity must be “ensured.”
“The conditions must be fair. And the Ukrainian people will not accept others,” he said.
Zelenskyy said earlier he’s given up on the idea of joining NATO but he’s insisted on putting other compromises, including any potential territorial concessions, to a referendum.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Kyiv and Moscow were inching closer to putting an end to the conflict, with “almost a consensus” on topics like Ukraine’s NATO membership and security arrangements but still major differences to bridge over territory.
Moscow has demanded that Kyiv recognize the independence of Donetsk and Lugansk, the two pro-Russia separatist-controlled regions in eastern Ukraine, and acknowledge Russia’s ownership of Crimea.
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They tell me Russia is losing. Doesn’t feel like it.
whaaaat? All the ‘reports’ we hear are about how ukraine is kicking butt- and he wants to surrender?
Ukraine has done a sh** job since they became independent. The "war" is substantially a Civil War. I'll bet 90% of those Ukrainians have a Russian heritage and many relatives and friends in Russia.
Winning!
Again ?
After all this I suspect Russia will get mostly what it wanted (a buffer state) which could have been agreed to in the first place since it doesn’t cost Ukrainians anything to not be in NATO.
Zactly
This is Russian propaganda. Ukraine is whooping the Russkies’ ass!!
(That’s funny ;>)
Biden needs his Nobel Peace Prize before the midterms. And Putin wants guarantees of NATO drawdown in Eastern Europe, and the Nord Stream II back. He also wants guaranteed land bridge to Crimea, Crimea, Dontesk and Lugesk recognized as part of Russia, no NATO membership for Ukraine, no US weapons stationed there, and to allow Regions parties and Communist Party of Ukraine back into politics in Kiev.
Why would Ukraine need URGENT peace talks when they have more tanks than Russia?
Call me cynical, but this Ukraine war is seen by the the US deep-state, MIC and their NATO puppets as a costless wager. Dismantling and ultimately controlling Russia is the goal, so let's keep pushing Ukraine into, EU membership, discussion about NATO, increasing arms transfers, Western political control, etc....
If Russia does nothing - great. We've moved that much closer, right to their borders, in fact.
If Russia acts - well, we've embroiled Russia in a costly, long-term war, we can isolate them politically - and if Ukraine gets wrecked, its no big deal.
Peace is better.
Nobody gives a crap who wins a Nobel Prize if you can’t buy food.
Y guess is that if the stories are true that Russia is digging in…the fear of a bad turn is coming. When you corner a mad animal, you get their claws.
I could see Russia raking a step back and nuking Kiev. Then pulling out.
Maybe they can throw in a Nobel prize for chemistry to Hunter Biden for whatever they were making at the bio-labs.
“whaaaat? All the ‘reports’ we hear are about how ukraine is kicking butt- and he wants to surrender?”
Surrender is easy: You just quit, and accept what happens. Zelensky does not sound like he wants to surrender.
Zelinsky softens just as Mariupol falls and 40,000 plus Ukrainian are about to be encircled.
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