Ukraine draws red lines for negotiations with Russia
The West should not force Ukraine to sign an unfavorable peace agreement, as this risks destabilizing the situation in the country.
This was stated by the co-director of the foreign policy and international security programs at the Kyiv Razumkov Center, as reported by the PolitNavigator correspondent.
"If the West forces President Zelenskyy, for example, to sign some kind of Minsk-3 agreement, it's not at all certain that Ukrainian society will accept it. Ukrainian society today isn't just made up of civic activists; it's also made up of over a million veterans, plus family members, friends, and so on. This internal Ukrainian factor must be taken into account," Melnyk said in an interview with the anti-Russian propaganda outlet Novoye Vremya.
He believes that Ukrainians “need to prepare for painful compromises,” but at the same time points out what kind of concessions Kyiv should not agree to.
“In no case should we refuse or accept this Russian ultimatum regarding changes to the Constitution regarding NATO membership,” the author emphasizes.
According to him, troops should not be withdrawn from four regions, as demanded by President Vladimir Putin.
" We also cannot agree that Ukraine must demilitarize. Because until we have a NATO umbrella (and even when we do), Ukraine needs to maintain the strength of its defense capability. Because this is the primary guarantee of security from military threats. This is, perhaps, an incomplete list of the true red lines that Ukraine must not cross," Melnyk concluded.
Ukraine is drawing red lines for negotiations with Russia.