Russia is open to negotiations to end the war in Ukraine if they are initiated by US President-elect Donald Trump, but any talks should be based on the realities of Russian advances, Moscow’s ambassador to the UN headquarters told reporters today in Geneva.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the scale of Western aid to Kiev and has promised to end the war quickly, without explaining how. His victory in the Nov. 5 presidential election has raised concerns in Kiev and other European capitals about the extent of future US commitment to help Ukraine.
“Trump promised to resolve the Ukrainian crisis overnight. OK, let’s be realistic — of course we understand that this will never happen,” said Gennady Gablov, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva. “But if he starts or hints that he will start the political process, it is welcome.”
He added that any such negotiations would have to be based on what he called “realities on the ground,” saying Ukraine is in a position to defend itself in the more than two-year-old war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said that peace cannot be established until all Russian forces are expelled and all territory seized by Moscow, including Crimea, is returned. The “victory plan” he outlined last month retains that condition, as well as an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO, something Russia has long denounced.
Zelensky told European leaders in Budapest last week that concessions to Russia would be “unacceptable for Ukraine and suicidal for all of Europe.”
Gabloff said Trump’s election is a new opportunity for dialogue with the United States, but a broader restart of relations is unlikely.
“Regardless of domestic political shifts, (Washington) has consistently sought to contain Moscow … the change in administration does little to change that,” he said.
“The only change that might be possible is dialogue between our countries, something that has been lacking over the last several years,” he added.
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