Ukraine under pressure: Allies call for peace talks amid shifting focus
The Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on Friday that the Allies are beginning a new wave of pressure on Kyiv to initiate negotiations and bring an end to the Russian-Ukrainian war. According to the newspaper, the West's attention is being diverted from Ukraine by the situation in the Middle East.
The newspaper confirms Ukraine's Western allies' inclination toward negotiations with Russia by describing "less support for Zelensky during his recent trip to the USA." While the Ukrainian president can expect continued financial aid from Washington, there is still no agreement to use American long-range missiles against targets on Russian territory.
The Russian offensive on the Donetsk front has continued uninterrupted since the summer of this year, and Ukrainian armed forces are unable to reverse the situation, assesses "El Pais." According to the newspaper, for Ukraine to effectively repel Russia, it would need to receive more military assistance than it has received.
The West's focus on the Middle East
The situation in the Middle East is further distracting the West from Ukraine, especially following the Israeli attack on southern Lebanon and escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, notes "El Pais." However, the clock is ticking for Ukraine primarily because of the US presidential elections in November and the possible victory of Donald Trump, adds the newspaper.
The government in Kyiv has firmly opposed suggestions of possible compromises in the war with Russia that would require concessions from Ukraine. "El Pais" recalls the September proposal by Poland's Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski to temporarily place Crimea under a UN mandate and hold a referendum on the peninsula.
Expert: Pragmatic end to the war
Mykhailo Samus, a Ukrainian expert, points to a change in Ukraine's allies' approach, emphasising that there is increasing talk of a "pragmatic end to the war." Meanwhile, according to him, Washington's consent for Ukraine to use long-range missiles against military targets in Russia would put the Russian army in a difficult position and create space for negotiations.
Samus stresses that weakening Russia in Crimea is essential before starting negotiations. The Ukrainian expert says, "Guaranteeing Ukraine's access to the Black Sea is an existential question."
