Why did we get into Ukraine? And what did we learn about the crisis? CNN’s Kerry Kortunov’s message on the situation in the Kremlin

Lavrov also called for “the elimination of threats to Russian security from there, including our new territories” – a reference to four occupied regions of Ukraine which Russia claimed to annex illegally following sham referendums – or else the Russian military would take action, according to TASS.

It was important for the American people, as well as the world, to hear directly from you about the conflict in Ukraine and the need to continue to support it.

Andrey Kortunov, who runs the Kremlin-backed Russian International Affairs Council in Moscow, sees it, too. “President Putin wants to end this whole thing as fast as possible,” he told CNN.

Putin’s recent heavy-handed conscription drive for 300,000 troops won’t reverse his battlefield losses any time soon, and is backfiring at home, running him up a dangerous political tab.

According to official data from the EU, Georgia and Kazakhstan, around 220,000 Russians have fled across their borders since the “partial mobilization” was announced. The EU’s numbers went up more than 30% from the previous week.

CNN is unable to verify the Russian figures, but the 40 kilometers (around 25 miles) traffic tailbacks at the border with Georgia, and the long lines at crossings into Kazakhstan and Finland, speak to the backlash and the strengthening perception that Putin is losing his fabled touch at reading Russia’s mood.

Kortunov understands the public mood over the huge costs and loss of life in the war, and he doesn’t know what goes on in the Kremlin. “Many people would start asking questions, why did we get into this mess? Why, we lost so many people.

He used the same playbook annexing Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and now, like then, threatens potential nuclear strikes should Ukraine, backed by its Western allies, try to take the annexed territories back.

Western leaders are in a battle of brinksmanship with Putin. Last Sunday US national security adviser Jake Sullivan told NBC’s “Meet the Press” Washington would respond decisively if Russia deployed nuclear weapons against Ukraine and has made clear to Moscow the “catastrophic consequences” it would face.

The First Explosion in Kiev: Putin’s Implications for the Middle East and the War on the Russian Mid-Atlantic Sea

The first explosion was recorded at around 2 a.m. local time, then again at around 7 p.m.

Within hours, roiling patches of sea were discovered, the Danes and the Germans sent warships to secure the area, and Norway increased security around its oil and gas facilities.

The Nord Stream pipeline sabotage could, according to Hill, be a last roll of the dice by Putin, so that “there’s no kind of turning back on the gas issues. And it’s not going to be possible for Europe to continue to build up its gas reserves for the winter. So what Putin is doing is throwing absolutely everything at this right now.”

Western intelligence sources said that European security officials had seen Russian naval vessels in the area. NATO’s North Atlantic Council has described the damage as a “deliberate, reckless and irresponsible act of sabotage.”

Nord Stream 2 was never operational, and Nord Stream 1 had been throttled back by Putin as Europe raced to replenish gas reserves ahead of winter, while dialling back demands for Russian supplies and searching for replacement providers.

The war in Ukraine may have entered a new phase, and Putin may have his back against the wall, but an end to the conflict could still be a very long way off.

Putting a dent in that support remains a key aim for Putin, whose position would be strengthened if foreign leaders leaned on Zelensky to consider a deal with Russia.

Volker expects Putin to pitch France and Germany first “to say, we need to end this war, we’re going to protect our territories at all costs, using any means necessary, and you need to put pressure on the Ukrainians to settle.”

Putin knows he’s in a tight spot, and doesn’t seem to realize how small of a space he has, but his nuclear threats are worrying because he might not actually make good on them.

The White House did not specify which air defense systems Biden discussed with Zelensky, but the United States previously committed to providing Ukraine with National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems. NASAMS would be capable of engaging Russian cruise missiles.

Whatever the eventual truth of the matter – and military aid is opaque at the best of times – Biden wants Putin to hear nothing but headline figures in the billions, to sap Russian resolve, push European partners to help more, and make Ukraine’s resources seem limitless.

And a second senior administration official provided the following summary of air defense aid provided to Ukraine from the US: “We have transferred more than 1,400 Stinger anti-air systems to Ukraine, as well as air surveillance and multi-mission radars. We enabled our Allies to transfer air defense systems of their own to Ukraine – including Slovakia’s transfer of a critical S-300 system in April. And in August, President Biden announced a new assistance package for Ukraine that included orders for 8 new NASAMS—National Advanced Surface to Air Missile Systems. We will continue to provide Ukraine with what it needs to defend itself.”

As of a Department of Defense briefing in late September, the US had yet to deliver NASAMS to Ukraine. The commander at the time was at the time brigadier. The general said two systems were expected to be delivered in the next two months, with the remaining six to be delivered at an unknown date.

Russia launched a total of 84 cruise missiles against targets across Ukraine on Monday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a Facebook post.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the strikes were a response to what he described as acts of “terrorism” by Kyiv. He blamed the explosion on Saturday on the Ukrainian special services and a list of other alleged crimes.

Zelensky’s physical appearance in Washington is surely designed to remind Republicans of the urgency of Ukraine’s fight and how a defeat for Kyiv would lead Moscow’s nuclear-backed brutality right to the doorstep of NATO, and then likely drag the US into a boots-on-the ground war with Russia.

John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, said Monday that there will likely be additional support packages for Ukraine announced “in the very near future.”

Kirby told CNN that he could not speak about how he reacted to the pressure at home and overseas.

Biden warned last week that there was a risk of Armageddon because of Putin’s nuclear threats. But multiple US officials have said the comment was not based on any new intelligence about Putin’s intentions or changes in Russia’s nuclear posture.

During internal conversations about the war in Ukraine, America’s top general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, has in recent weeks led a strong push to seek a diplomatic solution as fighting heads toward a winter lull.

But the simple calculus remains unchanged; a conflict that many experts thought would be over within days or weeks has instead become a grueling war that Ukraine may be able to win, so any deal that diminishes the country’s borders or represents some form of victory for Putin would be unacceptable to Kyiv.

Milley has been advocating for peace in recent days, just as the people of Kherson are returning from being taken by the Ukrainians. In comments at the Economic Club of New York on Wednesday, Milley praised the Ukrainian army for fighting Russia to a stalemate, but said that an outright military victory is out of reach.

The comments left administration officials unsurprised – given Milley’s advocacy for the position internally – but also raised concerned among some about the administration appearing divided in the eyes of the Kremlin.

The internal debate comes as senior US officials – including Sullivan – have in recent weeks been urging Ukraine to signal that it is still open to diplomatic discussions with Russia, even after Zelensky signed a decree in early October ruling out negotiations with Putin.

In internal deliberations, officials said Milley has sought to make it clear that he is not urging a Ukrainian capitulation, but rather that he believes now is an optimal time to drive toward an end to the war before it drags into spring or beyond, leading to more death and destruction without changing the front lines.

But that view is not widely held across the administration. One official explained that the State Department is on the opposite side of the pole from Milley. That dynamic has lead to a situation where military brass are more focused on diplomacy than US diplomats.

While the US has been supporting the Ukrainians by digging deep into its weapons storehouses, the US military has still scoured the globe to find supplies for the coming winter which has raised concerns about how long this war can last.

A US official said that the US will purchase 100,000 rounds of south Korean arms for use in the high-intensity battles happening in Ukraine. 100,000 howitzer rounds are to be purchased by the United States and sent to Ukranian through the US.

Zelensky’s War with Russia During the First 10 Months of the War: When Putin walked in with a limousine to Washington

Ned Price would not say if the State Department agrees with Milley. In the last few months, US officials have often made a point of saying that there is need for a diplomatic solution.

Russia and we will both continue to do the same things. It is important for us to not be deterred from supporting the people of Ukraine, but for Zelensky to not be deterred from travelling as he sees fit to advance the interests of his people.

Editor’s Note: Michael Bociurkiw (@WorldAffairsPro) is a global affairs analyst currently based in Odesa. He was a spokesman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and was a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. He writes for CNN Opinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. CNN has more opinion.

I was in Paris at that time and saw Zelensky pull up to the lysée Palace, while Putin went in with an armored limo. (The host, French President Emmanuel Macron, hugged Putin but chose only to shake hands with Zelensky).

A visit by the Ukrainian leader to Washington would amount to a significant moment 10 months since Russia’s war in Ukraine began. Zelensky is an international example of Ukrainian resistance to the invasion and has asked for support from many nations.

Fast forward to 2022 and Zelensky is the instantly recognizable wartime president in trademark olive green; as adept at rallying his citizens and stirring the imaginations of folks worldwide, as naming and shaming allies dragging their feet in arming his military.

If we don’t demonstrate further progress on the battlefield with billions of dollars worth of military kit, we could stir unease among our backers. It would be a political death sentence to capitulate to Russia.

Over the course of the 10-month invasion, Zelensky has emerged as the international personification of Ukrainian resistance and has spent much of the year appealing to nations for support. He has remained inside his country for the duration of the war, a reflection both of his desire to rally alongside his besieged country and the precarious security situation he would face outside Ukraine.

“After the full-scale invasion, once he got into a position of being bullied by someone like Vladimir Putin he knew exactly what he needed to do because it was just his gut feeling,” Yevhen Hlibovytsky, former political journalist and founder of the Kyiv-based think tank and consultancy, pro.mova, told me.

This, after all, is the leader who when offered evacuation by the US as Russia launched its full-scale invasion, quipped: “I need ammunition, not a ride.”

It is perhaps easy to forget that Zelensky honed his political muscles earlier in his career standing up to another bully in 2019 – then-US President Donald Trump, who tried to bamboozle the novice politician in the quid pro quo scandal.

Amid the fog of war, it all seems a long, long way since the heady campaign celebration in a repurposed Kyiv nightclub where a fresh-faced Zelensky thanked his supporters for a landslide victory. He stood on stage and looked in disbelief, as he realized that he’d defeated Petro Poroshenko.

As Russian troops began to amass on Ukraine’s borders in the weeks preceding the February assault, around 55% of Ukrainians said they didn’t trust Zelensky to lead them into war. It was a rating influenced by the fact that he didn’t keep his campaign promises and failed to launch a fight against corruption in the judiciary.

His bubble includes many people from his previous professional life as a TV comedian in the theatrical group Kvartal 95. Even in the midst of the war, a press conference held on the platform of a Kyiv metro station in April featured perfect lighting and curated camera angles to emphasize a wartime setting.

As a result of his nightly addresses on TV, I remember how comforting they were when there were explosions and air raid sirens.

An Interview with Zelensky: “Too Many Faces to a Face” of the International Fashion Scene, and the Problems of Ukraine

“By wearing T-shirts and hoodies, the youthful, egalitarian uniform of Silicon Valley, rather than suits, Zelensky is projecting confidence and competence in a modern way, to a younger, global audience that recognizes it as such,” Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, a fashion historian and author of “Red, White, and Blue on the Runway: The 1968 White House Fashion Show and the Politics of American Style,” told NPR.

She said he is more comfortable on camera than Putin and that he is a digital native. Zelensky is doing a better job of balancing authority and accessibility than the other one, but I believe that both of them want to come across as personable.

Zelenska has shown herself to be an effective communicator in international fora, by projecting empathy, style and smarts. Most recently, she met with King Charles during a visit to a refugee assistance center at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family in London. (Curiously, TIME magazine did not include Zelenska on the cover montage and gave only a passing reference in the supporting text).

Zelensky has an international influence that could be waning despite the strong wind at his back. The G7 imposed a $60 price cap on Russian crude, despite pleas from Zelensky that it should have been set at $30 to bring more pain to the Kremlin.

The support of the international community for Ukraine is under scrutiny as the war nears its one year anniversary. European energy prices have gone up due to the sanctions on Moscow. In the US, Republicans who are going to take control of the House of Congress have indicated they will not approve new aid for Ukraine quickly.

Zelensky said in a recent nightly video address that when the world is truly united, it is the world that determines how events develop.

300 days after the start of Russia’s invasion, the administration official said it was something they’ve wanted to do for some time. The official said that Zelensky wouldn’t be deterred from making his first trip outside of the country despite Russia’s actions.

Just ahead of Zelensky’s arrival, the Biden administration announced it is sending nearly $2 billion in additional security assistance to Ukraine – including a sophisticated new Patriot air defense system that Zelensky has been requesting for months.

During Russia’s ground and air war in Ukraine, Kuleba has been second only to Zelenskyy in carrying Ukraine’s message and needs to an international audience, whether through Twitter posts or meetings with friendly foreign officials.

Zelensky met with soldiers and handed out awards, according to his office. The video was posted on state TV and showed the president in fatigues and a flak vest. Bakhmut has seen some of the most ferocious fighting in the whole of the country since Russian forces launched their siege on the city in earnest in May, turning it into ruins.

The Ukranian President’s Visit to Washington Before a State of War: How Vladimir Putin Met Vladimir Putin in the First 10 Months of the War

There were suggestions that an unusual session of Congress was in the works. Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to House lawmakers asking them to show up for the Wednesday session in person even though they don’t have the ability to vote remotely.

Zelensky will make a speech to Congress on Wednesday according to several sources. The sources are careful to say this may not be final yet over security concerns.

Ukrainian officials claim a high success rate, even though a large number of Russia’s missiles and attack drones could be shot down by a Patriot air defense system. NATO’s top technology is on the table to help Ukraine win the war and at the same time hold Russia back.

It’s not clear how many missiles will be sent but a typical battery consists of a radar set that can detect targets and computers, as well as an engagement control station, which can hold up to eight missiles.

Ukrainians will be trained to use thePatriots at a US army base in Germany once the plans are finalized, officials said.

Unlike smaller air defense systems, Patriot missile batteries need much larger crews, requiring dozens of personnel to properly operate them. The United States will have to train for a variety of missile batteries in multiple months in order to protect themselves against attacks from Russia.

The visit by the Ukrainian leader to Washington would only last a matter of hours, but it amounts to a remarkable moment since the beginning of Russia’s war in Ukranian.

Zelensky decided that those parameters met his needs, and the US will execute them. The trip was finally confirmed on Sunday.

The trip was far more than that. Biden wouldn’t invite Zelensky to Washington – and endure a risky trip outside Ukraine for the first time since the war began – if he did not believe something real could be accomplished meeting face-to-face instead of over the phone.

In the first days and weeks of the Russian full-scale invasion, a Russian attack intended to take advantage of the leader’s absence might have stirred confusion in the Ukrainian military. There has been no questioning of the Ukrainian military command and control in the past 10 months.

Russia’s military and political leadership have, however, an arsenal of missiles that can and are regularly fired at Ukraine, and a barrage timed for a presidential visit would be within Russia’s capabilities. Zelensky might be distracted from political gain from his visit to undermine the appearance of Russia having options to respond to the U.S.-Ukrainian ties.

Reply to “Comments on ‘It’s Time for a United States Government to act on Ukraine Security” by Rep. Lauren Boebert

The appearance would mark a potentially interesting moment as Democrats take over the House in January and Ms. Pelosi steps down as speaker.

In Washington, Republicans poised to take control of Congress have made clear they won’t rubber stamp each of Biden’s requests for Ukraine assistance – though fears funding will dry up completely appear unfounded. Congress is on the verge of approving almost $50 billion in additional security and economic assistance.

There are Republicans in the House who don’t approve of previous packages because they think the money was better spent in the United States. Just earlier on Tuesday, Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado, a far-right Republican, posted on Twitter scoffing at the release of the new aid.

The Times as a Radio Investigative Reporter: What We Think Before Using Anonymous Sources: Analysis and Implications for the Patriot Abundances

What we consider before using anonymous sources. Do the sources know the information? Is it their motivation for telling us? Do they have a history of being reliable? Can we support the information? Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. The reporter knows the identity of the source.

There are two key headline deliverables: first, the Patriot missile systems. Complex, accurate, and expensive, they have been described as the US’s “gold standard” of air defense. NATO preciously guards them, and they require the personnel who operate them – almost 100 in a battalion for each weapon – to be properly trained.

More precision weapons are vital: they ensure Ukraine hits its targets, and not any civilians remaining nearby. It means that Ukraine does not see the same amount of shells as Russia does.

Guidance kits, which can be used to bolt on to their unguided missiles or bombs, will likely be included in the new deal. This will increase accuracy and the rate at which they burn through bullets. A large amount of the money is expected to be used to replace munitions and stocks.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/21/europe/biden-weapons-deal-analysis-intl/index.html

The Russian War in Ukraine: The Case for a Resolution of the Cold War and the Security Problems of the Middle East and the New Millennium

But Moscow is struggling to equip and rally its conventional forces, and, with the exception of its nuclear forces, appears to be running out of new cards to play. A nuclear force option is less likely now that China and India are against it.

This is not easy. Congress’s likely new Speaker, Republican Kevin McCarthy, has warned the Biden administration cannot expect a “blank cheque” from the new GOP-led House of Representatives.

The remnants of the Trumpist “America First” elements of that party have echoed doubts about how much aid the US should really be sending to the edges of eastern Europe.

Realistically, the bill for the slow defeat of Russia in this dark and lengthy conflict is relatively light for Washington, given its near trillion-dollar annual defense budget.

“I also think no one is asking for a blank check,” Clinton added. I believe that the Ukrainians are a great investment for the United States. They don’t want us to fight their war. They’re fighting it themselves. They want us and our allies to use the means to actually win.

The speech talked about the Ukrainian people’s struggles, the fact that we want to be warm in our homes for Christmas and to know that they are on the front lines, which was connected to the revolution of the Ukrainian people.

The next day, the 301st since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the new equipment will not bring the conflict any closer to an end (“quite the contrary”) or prevent Russia from achieving the goals of its so-called “special military operation.”

Clinton, who previously met Russian President Vladimir Putin as US secretary of state, said the leader was “probably impossible to actually predict,” as the war turns in Ukraine’s favor and his popularity fades at home.

Clinton thinks that Putin wants to get more Russians involved in the fight in Ukraine and will use bodies of Russian conscripts.

Zelensky, the White House, and the First Lady of the United Nations – The War Between Russia and the Second World –

Shrouded in secrecy until the last minute, the historic visit was heavy with symbolism, from Zelensky’s drab green sweatshirt to President Joe Biden’s blue-and-yellow striped tie to the Ukrainian battle flag unfurled on the House floor.

Yet the new phase isn’t only on the battlefield. Around the world, leaders are confronting the bitter fallout of Russia’s invasion. Higher energy and food prices, in part generated by tough sanctions on Moscow, have caused trouble for politicians in Europe and the United States.

It wasn’t clear that a path to end the Conflict was any better as Zelensky went back to Washington.

Zelensky said that as president he would make no compromises as to the sovereignty, freedom and territorial integrity of the country in order to have a just peace.

Zelenskyy presented a 10-point peace formula at the Group of 20 summit in November that included the release of prisoners, the withdrawal of Russian troops and the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Biden said it was up to Zelensky to decide how he wanted the war to end, and left a lot of questions unanswered.

Zelensky mentioned several important American incidents during his address to lawmakers, including the critical Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolutionary War, as well as the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

He delivered his speech in English, which was a planned choice. Even his attire – the now-familiar Army green shirt, cargo pants and boots – seemed designed to remind his audience they were in the presence of a wartime leader.

Zelensky and the U.S. response to Ukraine’s crisis: a window into a complex relationship with Biden and his country

Zelensky has demonstrated an ability to appeal to both the national legislatures and the people of the Grammys over the course of the conflict.

On Wednesday, he sought to harness Americans’ emotional response to his country’s suffering, evoking dark winter nights as Russia seeks to interrupt Ukraine’s power supply.

“In two days we will celebrate Christmas. Maybe it’s a good idea to get some sleep. Not because it’s more romantic, no, but because there will not be – there will be no electricity,” he said.

But he also seemed aware that many Americans – including some Republicans in Congress – have wondered aloud why billions of US dollars are needed for a conflict thousands of miles away. He wanted to make the cause more than just his homeland.

Zelensky asked for more patriots and Biden had a laugh, but it amounted to a window into a complex relationship.

That hasn’t always sat well with Biden or his team. Biden appeared to be trying to translate his proximity into a better understanding of his counterpart, like he has with a lot of foreign leaders.

“It is all about looking someone in the eye. I mean it in the best way possible. He believes there is nothing better than sitting down with a friend or a foe and looking them in the eye.

The Kremlin is Selling It to the West: Why is Russia So Glad to Have It Presented to the U.S.?

Zelenskyy and Ukraine have made clear that they want a just peace, and all the US has been doing is helping the country defend itself against Russian aggression.

Russia has accused the west of turning the conflict into a proxy war before. (Iran has acknowledged providing military drones to Russia.)

The Kremlin has also been selling that line to the Russian public, who is largely buying it, says Sergey Radchenko, a Russian history professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

“You could say that the majority of Russian people, although they are weary of the conflict, they still see this as an existential struggle between Russia and the West in which Ukraine is being played for a pawn,” he tells NPR’s Morning Edition.

Moscow had warned last week that it would see the reported delivery of Patriot missiles to Ukraine as “another provocative move by the U.S.” Does Sloat worry this could provoke a Russian escalation?

“Patriots are a defensive weapons system that will help Ukraine defend itself as Russia sends missile after missile and drone after drone to try and destroy Ukrainian infrastructure and kill Ukrainian civilians,” she said. “If Russia doesn’t want their missiles shot down, Russia should stop sending them into Ukraine.”

The foreign minister of Ukraine stated that his government wants to have a peace summit at the UN by the end of February, which is around the anniversary of Russia’s war.

But Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told The Associated Press that Russia could only be invited to such a summit if the country faced a war crimes tribunal first.

Zelenskyy’s visit to the U.S. in response to the European Commission resolution on Russian nuclear physics – a welcome contribution from Ukraine

Kulba said he was satisfied with the results of President Zelenskyy’s visit to the U.S. and he revealed that the U.S. government had made a special plan to ready the missile battery. Usually, the training takes up to a year.

Kuleba said during the interview at the Foreign Ministry that Ukraine will do whatever it can to win the war in 2023, adding that diplomacy always plays an important role.

The Foreign Minister thinks the UN would be a good broker for those talks. He said that the United Nations was the best venue for the summit because it was not about making a favor to a certain country. “This is really about bringing everyone on board.”

Kuleba said that he was an efficient mediator and an efficient negotiator, as well as a man of principle and integrity. So we would welcome his active participation.”

They say that they are ready for negotiations, which is incorrect because everything they do on the battlefield proves the opposite.

“This shows how both the United States are important for Ukraine, but also how Ukraine is important for the United States,” said Kuleba, who was part of the delegation to the U.S.

He said that the U.S. government developed a program for the missile battery to complete the training faster than usual “without any damage to the quality of the use of this weapon on the battlefield.”

Kuleba only mentioned that it would be less than six months. And he added that the training will be done “outside” Ukraine.

Russia should be dropped from the U.N. Security Council and excluded from the world body, according to a statement by the Ukrainian government. Kulba said they have been prepared to uncover the fraud and deprive Russia of its status.

Russian never went through the legal process for joining the UN Security Council after the fall of the Soviet Union according to the Foreign Ministry.

Negotiating the outcome of the Ukrainian war on the cold war with Russia: Putin and his aides frustrated by Lavrov’s remarks

As has often been the case throughout the conflict, the vaguely conciliatory tone from Putin was quickly contradicted by a heavy-handed message from one of his key officials.

Sergey Lavrov, Putin’s foreign minister, said Monday that Ukraine must fulfill Russia’s demands for the “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukrainian-controlled territories, repeating Moscow’s well-worn and false accusation of Nazism against Ukraine, which it has used in an attempt to justify its invasion.

Alexander Rodnyansky, an economic adviser to President Zelensky, told CNN Tuesday that Putin’s comments were likely an effort to buy time in the conflict.

“The blitzkrieg has gone terribly wrong for them and they know that, so they need more time to regroup and rebuild their troops,” Rodnyansky said, adding that it was also Kremlin’s strategy to dissuade the world from sending more military aid to Ukraine. “We must not fall into that trap.”

Any hypothetical momentum towards a deal could result in a reduction of Western military aid to Kyiv. And it would present a possible face-saving exit route for Putin, whose reputation would be severely diminished at home if he returned from a costly war without meaningful territorial gains.

Since the end of the summer, the ground war in eastern and southern Ukraine has been defined by a series of decisive counter-attacks that have pushed back Russian forces and crystallized Western optimism that Kyiv can win the war.

Zelensky and his officials have made it clear that they will not try to win a truce, so they will continue to sound out the possibility of negotiations.

“Every war ends in a diplomatic way,” Kuleba told the AP on Monday. The actions taken on the battlefield and at the negotiating table end the war.

The steps includes a path to nuclear safety, food security, a special tribunal for alleged Russian war crimes, and a final peace treaty with Moscow. He also urged G20 leaders to use all their power to “make Russia abandon nuclear threats” and implement a price cap on energy imported from Moscow.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/27/europe/ukraine-russia-negotiations-putin-unlikely-intl/index.html

Interlocutors in the War Between Russia and Ukraine – a View from the Ukrain-Russian Insider’s Perspective

A decisive New Year’s swing on the battlefield could make a difference, but both sides are prepared for a long and grinding conflict.

The subject of Ukraine could be a potential spark for disagreements, with officials acknowledging that there could be some areas of disagreement.

While Mr. Lula has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he has also suggested in the past that President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and NATO share some blame, and he has hesitated to sell weapons to Ukraine in an effort to maintain neutrality. Brazil is dependent on Russia for a quarter of its ammonia imports, which are crucial to its enormous agriculture industry.

Mr. Biden is more pro-Ukrainian than Mr. Lula and he doesn’t expect Putin to be interested in peace.

“We need to find interlocutors who can sit with President Putin to show him the mistake he made to invade Ukraine’s territory, and we have to show Ukraine that they need to talk more so we can avoid this war,” Mr. Lula said in an interview with CNN that aired Friday.