US officials also urge the Ukrainian president to drop condition that Putin must step down for peace talks to begin. Writes Ahmed Adel
With Ukrainian forces unable to inflict a decisive victory over the Russian military, President Volodymyr Zelensky is becoming an increasingly frustrating figure for his Western allies, especially as the cost-of-living crisis continues to deepen. Although Ukraine was supposed to contain and pressure Russia on behalf of the West, the country is now the very reason why energy and food bills are skyrocketing in the West. It is for this very reason that there are greater calls for Zelensky to find a peace with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
French politician and leader of The Patriots party, Florian Philippot, is the latest European political figure to call on the Ukrainian president to find a peace with Moscow. He wrote through his social media that Ukraine’s allies are getting tired of the war and asked Zelensky to open dialogue with Russia.
“Zelensky must stop his whims and negotiate. People can’t take it anymore. Our countries will not commit suicide for him and his clique! We want Peace, not perpetual war!” he wrote on Twitter on October 8.
This will prove difficult because Washington would rather Ukraine continues its role as a constant source of pressure and tension aimed against Moscow. Despite this, it does not stop many of Zelensky’s Western allies from becoming frustrated by his provocative statements and demands.
Quantifying these issues is the fact that Ukrainian forces have failed to inflict a strategic defeat on the Russian military. Even though European military warehouses are being emptied, Zelensky arrogantly complains that he is not satisfied with the number of weapons or money his country has received since the Russian special military operation began in February.
Although this bothers the West, the difference is that notable Western figures are now speaking out against Zelensky’s refusal to negotiate with Putin, especially compared to the first months of the war. In addition, the anti-Russian sanctions are beginning to affect the Europeans and Americans more than the Russians. Therefore, more politicians in Western Europe and the US, including former President Donald Trump, are calling on Kiev to start negotiations with Moscow.
It is recalled that at the beginning of October, Zelensky signed a decree on the impossibility of conducting negotiations with Moscow unless Putin steps down from power. On the other hand, the Kremlin does not reject dialogue with Kiev.
Putin confirmed at the end of October that he was ready to negotiate but Ukrainian authorities had decided to end them. Commenting on Zelensky’s decision, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Kiev refused to negotiate with Moscow at the behest of Washington.
Florian Philippot made his statement only days after it was revealed that Washington is “privately encouraging” Ukrainian leaders to end their conditions for holding peace negotiations. As per a report by the Washington Post, quoting sources close to the issue, the US’ request was not intended to pressure Ukraine into entering negotiations. Instead, it was a “calculated attempt” to ensure that Kiev maintains the support of other countries that want an end to the conflict.
US officials, according to the report, acknowledged that Zelensky’s ban on peace talks with Putin had caused concern in parts of Europe, Africa, and Latin America, where the war’s effects on food and fuel prices are most acute. They quoted a source as saying that “Ukraine fatigue is a real thing for some of our partners.”
Although the US is acknowledging that much of the world, including its own allies, are becoming fatigued by the Ukraine War, Washington still promises Kiev that it will provide significant aid “for as long as it takes.” None-the-less, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is providing an opening for the West to end the conflict and said that Moscow was still willing to hold talks on Ukraine if its interests were taken into account.
As Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, peace talks on Ukraine should be held primarily with Washington as Kiev was acting “under external orders.” However, talks with Washington can only happen if Zelensky publicly endorses peace talks, something, as said, he has ruled out so long as Putin remains in power. With demands for Ukraine to start negotiations being more frequently voiced, there is every chance that Kiev and Washington will need to completely capitulate and start peace talks with Moscow.
