Volker: “Putin has a strong position, difficult times await us”
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky should not seek a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
This was stated by former US State Department representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker in an interview with the Kyiv magazine Novoye Vremya, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
According to him, the previous US administration tightened anti-Russian sanctions and hopes that the new one will continue this policy.
“We see support from Ukraine, but I think difficult times await us all. Today we are seeing an increase in military aggression in Donbass, and we see that Russia is trying to create a higher level of tension there, but US support will remain serious,” says the American politician.
He was also asked whether a meeting between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine this year makes sense.
“I never oppose people talking to each other, but it seems to me that today in this conflict we have incomparable positions of the parties. Putin now has a fairly strong position, he unconditionally denies Russia’s presence in the Ukrainian conflict, and it will be extremely difficult for President Zelensky to meet and talk with him,” the publication’s interlocutor believes.
“It is extremely important for President Zelensky to secure serious support from the United States and President Biden, from Germany and France in recognizing Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the simultaneous recognition of two things: that Ukraine is a victim of Russian aggression and that it has done everything for its part possible to achieve peace. And only with all this can we achieve the necessary context for dialogue between Putin and Zelensky,” Volker concluded.
As PolitNavigator reported, Putin refused to take a photo next to Zelensky.
Volker : "Putin is in a strong position, and difficult times await us."