Translated material
The United States plans to start negotiations with Putin after Ukrainian counterattack
Some White House officials plan to support the desire of a number of EU countries to start peace negotiations with the Russian Federation if the success of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is successful. They plan to attract China to negotiations. This is written by The Wall Street Journal with reference to European and American officials.
Washington believes that Kyiv and Moscow cannot fight endlessly, and also plans to experience Beijing's readiness to play the role of an intermediary. The most readiness for negotiations and the participation of China in them indicates a change in the position of the West, primarily the United States, the newspaper notes. At the same time, the possibility for such negotiations can open after a successful counterattack that Ukraine is preparing, American and European officials say.
According to the French and Nemecah of high -ranking officials, familiar with the discussions between their leaders and President Joe Bayden, from the White House are expected to participate in attempts to organize negotiations after Ukraine’s liberation at least part of the territories occupied by Russia. Thus, the de -capacity of the southern regions in the West will be considered success, even if some of the Ukrainian lands remain under the control of Russia.
So far, there is no idea of how negotiations can be organized and what will be discussed at them, but French and German officials are interested in discussing a ceasefire, and China, in their opinion, may be one of the guarantors of an agreement. Beijing wants to participate in the settlement of the conflict, they say.
According to European officials, the heads of the US National Security Council advocate negotiations, while the State Department and the CIA are more skeptical and at first they want to see the results of the impending operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The representative of the Council told WSJ that there was no discrepancy in the positions between departments.
At the same time, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who previously negatively responded to China’s position in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, said last week that in the participation of Beijing in his settlement, "in principle, there is nothing wrong."
If the country who have a significant influence are ready to participate in the establishment of a fair and durable world, we will welcome it. And, of course, China can play a role in such efforts. - said Blinken on the forum organized by The Washington Post.
In February, French President Emmanuel Macron private proposed to President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky to organize a peace conference in Paris when Kyiv considers it possible. Zelensky replied that he was ready to participate in it only with Biden and the leader of China Xi Jinping. In April, during a visit to China, Macron tried to convince SI to “admonish” Russia.
“ Now it’s too early to talk about anything, and we are waiting for a special envoy to SI in Kiev ,” whom he appointed after a recent telephone conversation with Zelensky, a senior official of the Ukrainian government told WSJ.
Western leaders slowly come to the consensus that the termination of the conflict would be the best option, said Fiona Hill from the Brukins Institute, which previously was responsible for Russia in the National Security Council.
But at the same time, in the West they recognize that Vladimir Putin does not demonstrate interest in resolving the situation.
“ We continue to believe that Putin, most likely, hopes that time works for him” and the willingness of the West will support Ukraine over time will decrease , ”said Avril Heins, director of national intelligence of the United States last week.
On the other hand, according to her, Russia does not have forces and means for a new offensive, so Putin will probably deal with the strengthening of control in the occupied territories.
After a year of the war, the Russian army was completely exhausted and suffered heavy losses. Attempts to organize the offensive in winter failed. Attempts by the RF Armed Forces to break through the Ukrainian Front in the Ugro region and enter the rear of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donbass ended with a severe defeat. Local battles are in the fields for the possession of fortified positions, and the only conquests were the seizure of Soledar, as well as the assault on Bakhmut, which is almost completely under the control of the mercenaries of the Wagner PMC. It is difficult to call this success, given that the assault on this area was half a year, and achievements were given at the cost of tremendous losses and assaults by the "human waves" method.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of Ukraine received new equipment from Western countries and formed offensive brigades - fresh forces, which, according to the idea of Kyiv, should liberate the occupied territories of Ukraine.