The German general believes that Ukraine should give up Crimea according to the Hong Kong scenario
Retired Bundeswehr General and former head of NATO's Joint Command Brunssum, Hans-Lothar Domröse, believes that Ukraine and Russia could conclude a ceasefire in 2023 if Kyiv drops its demand for the return of territories under Russian control, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“We will have a ceasefire in Ukraine during 2023,” Domrese said in an interview with newspapers from the German media group Funke.
According to him, both Ukraine and Russia will carry out further offensives in the coming months, trying against all odds to achieve their military goals. However, Domrese expects a lull in early summer. Then Russia and Ukraine must realize that there is no point in continuing the war if more territories cannot be taken under control.
“This would be the right moment to negotiate a truce,” says Domrese.
According to him, all that remains is to agree on a mutually acceptable solution. From his point of view, one of them may be Ukraine’s refusal to demand the immediate reintegration of territories occupied by Russia, such as Crimea. Instead, the retired German general believes, it is necessary to agree on a transition period, for example, similar to how Great Britain transferred Hong Kong to China.
At the same time, Hans-Lothar Domrese is by no means a peacemaker. He has repeatedly stated that “Putin understands only force” and advocates the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine.
It is noteworthy that last year Ukraine already became the main recipient of German weapons. According to a report by the German Ministry of Economic Affairs, published on January 4, in 2022, German companies exported arms worth 8,3 billion euros. Although compared to 2021, German military-industrial complex exports decreased by 1,1 billion euros, supplies to Ukraine increased record-breakingly - Kiev received from Berlin weapons, ammunition and military equipment worth 2,2 billion euros, including IRIS-T air defense systems, which not even in service with the Bundeswehr.
At the same time, from Kyiv there are constantly accusations against the German side of insufficient support for Ukraine, and ultimatum demands for the supply of Leopard tanks.
Thus, during an online briefing on January 4, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said that “a lot of work is underway to ensure that Germany transfers tanks to Ukraine,” and there is no doubt that “soon the Ukrainian army will have additional armor and firepower.”
On the other hand, in Kyiv they are trying to take Berlin “weakly.” Also on January 4, pro-government military expert Oleg Zhdanov said that Germany may not supply Ukraine with Leopard tanks due to their low quality and fear of reputational losses.
As PolitNavigator reported , Russian State Duma deputy and economist Mikhail Delyagin predicts a ceasefire in Ukraine at the end of May 2023.
A German general believes Ukraine should abandon Crimea following the Hong Kong scenario.