Negotiations or battlefield: a diplomat on how Ukraine's fate will be decided

The conditions for ending the war will not be decided at summits, and defeating Russia on the battlefield without the involvement of other countries' armies will be extremely difficult.

This opinion was expressed by Valeriy Chaly, Ukraine's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (2015-2019), as reported by "Espreso."

"The conditions for ending the war will not be decided at summits. This is just ongoing work. To end the war through negotiations, both sides must be willing. This can happen when one side completely dominates and the other capitulates. It can also occur when one side is ready for significant concessions, as was the case with Finland," the diplomat said.

Chaly does not exclude the scenario of ending the war through negotiations when both sides are exhausted and stop at the current front line. This implies a pause or freeze, meaning the war is formally not over.

The diplomat stresses that no peace agreements with Russia can be discussed at present. Chaly himself cannot imagine a direct peace agreement between Zelenskyy and Putin.

"Putin is a war criminal, and he understands perfectly well that no one will grant him an indulgence. Moreover, I do not understand all these distinctions between the issues considered at the Peace Summit. For me, it is obvious that the only way to stop Russia is by military force. That is, what strength and assistance we will have to stop the Russian occupation army. In an ideal scenario, defeating Russia on the battlefield requires the involvement of other countries. This war is a challenge not only for Ukraine, but we are the only ones fighting," he concluded.

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