The Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom, former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi expressed pessimistic forecasts regarding the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war in the near future. He published his thoughts in an article, emphasizing the lack of real prerequisites for peace without effective security guarantees for Ukraine.
This is reported by Kyiv24
The Need for Guarantees to End the War
According to Zaluzhnyi, strong security guarantees must be the foundation for lasting peace or the cessation of war. Among such guarantees, he mentioned Ukraine’s accession to NATO, the deployment of nuclear weapons on Ukrainian territory, or the presence of a significant military contingent capable of resisting Russia. However, these options are not currently being considered due to the unwillingness and unpreparedness of NATO countries, as well as other states, besides Russia, Ukraine, and China, to take responsibility for such steps. Thus, according to Zaluzhnyi, the war is likely to continue not only in the military sphere but also in political and economic realms.
“Such guarantees could include: Ukraine’s accession to NATO, the deployment of nuclear weapons on Ukrainian territory, or the stationing of a large military contingent capable of resisting Russia. However, this is not being discussed today. Given the unpreparedness of NATO countries, or others besides Russia, Ukraine, and China, this issue cannot fundamentally be considered. Therefore, it is likely that the war will continue. And not only in military but also in political and economic spheres,” emphasized the retired military leader.
Russia’s Strategic Goal and International Negotiations
Zaluzhnyi is also convinced that the strategic goal of the Russian Federation is to eliminate Ukraine’s existence as an independent state, as evidenced by recent events and the actions of the Russian leadership. He noted that Ukraine, with its subjectivity, independence, and strong potential, is viewed by Russia as a gateway to Europe, and the spread of distrust towards the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the corrupt ties of certain officials, and the rhetoric of the Kremlin only amplify this threat.
His statement came against the backdrop of negotiations between representatives of Ukraine and the United States regarding the parameters of a possible peace agreement, taking place in Hallandale, Florida. The American delegation is represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, while the Ukrainian delegation includes Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov and First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia. It is expected that after consultations with the Ukrainian side, Witkoff will head to Moscow for negotiations with the President of the Russian Federation. It is also known that Vladimir Putin recently expressed readiness to consider proposals from U.S. President Donald Trump as a possible basis for a future agreement, although no final decision has been reached yet.