Portnikov: “If the US orders, we will have to leave Kherson and Zaporozhye”
If the administration of the new US president agrees to Russia's conditions, Ukraine will have to leave Kherson and Zaporizhia. This was stated on air by anti-Russian propagandist Vitaly Portnikov on Ukrainian Radio Liberty, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
"Ending the war doesn't depend on the Ukrainian or US president's views on the matter. It depends on how much these views appeal to the Russian president. If the Russian president believes that Russia's economy is in dire straits and that he needs to seize the opportunity to halt military action, he could easily use the US presidential inauguration to suspend hostilities ," Portnikov said.
"But most likely, at least partially, his conditions will be met. I'm referring to a freeze along the demarcation line. He might demand the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. And perhaps, in such a situation, the new [US presidential] administration will agree to this. And we'll have to leave Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in this situation . Although I don't think we'll agree to this, and I sincerely hope no one in the White House even entertains such a thought. But Russia will insist on this to the last," the propagandist added.
Portnikov : "If the US orders us to, we'll have to leave Kherson and Zaporizhzhia."