Henry Kissinger says Ukraine should cede territory to Russia to end the war

Having said that Western countries should remember Russia’s importance to Europe and not get carried away “in the mood of the moment,” Kissinger also urged the West to force Ukraine to accept negotiations with “the status quo,” which means the former state of affairs.

Negotiations must begin in the next two months before they lead to turmoil and tensions that will not be easily overcome. Kissinger, 98, said according to Daily Telegraph. “Continuing the war after that point will not be about the freedom of Ukraine, but a new war against Russia itself.”

The “previous situation” mentioned by Kissinger, who was Secretary of State to Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, refers to the restoration of the situation in which Russia formally controlled Crimea and informally took control of two regions in the far eastern Ukraine of Luhansk and Donetsk. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that part of his conditions for entering into peace talks with Russia will include Restoration of pre-invasion borders.

Kissinger’s comments come as world leaders say Russia’s war in Ukraine led to this He called “the whole international system into question”. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told world leaders in Davos that the war was not only a “question of Ukraine’s survival” or a “European security issue” but also “important for the entire global community”. She lamented the “destructive anger” of Russian President Vladimir Putin, but said that Russia could one day regain its place in Europe if it “finds its way back to democracy, the rule of law and respect for the rules-based international order…because Russia is our neighbour.”

The NATO chief said that Putin made a “big strategic mistake”; Donbass attacks intensified

Much of Ukraine agrees with Zelensky not to give up land for peace. poll conducted by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology It was discovered this month that 82 percent of Ukrainians are not ready to give up any of the territory of Ukraine, even if it means that the war will continue. Only 10 percent think giving up the land is worth it to end the invasion, while 8 percent are undecided, according to the poll conducted between May 13 and last Wednesday.

The sample did not include residents of areas that were not under the control of the Ukrainian authorities before February 24 – such as Crimea, Sevastopol and some areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The survey also did not include citizens who traveled abroad after February 24.

Kissinger’s comments come on the heels of the conversation editorial From the New York Times editorial board that argued that Ukraine must make “painful regional decisions” to achieve peace.

“In the end, the hard decisions must be made by the Ukrainians: they are the ones who fight, die and lose their homes to Russian aggression, and they are the ones who must decide what the end of the war might look like,” the Times editorial board wrote on Thursday. “If the conflict leads to real negotiations, Ukrainian leaders will have to make the painful decisions about the territory that any settlement requires.”

The editorial was met with backlash, including from Zelensky’s advisor Mikhailo Podolak, who She said That “Any concession to Russia is not a path to peace, but a war postponed for several years.”

In his comments on Monday, Kissinger, a long-time advocate of a realpolitik approach that places nations before morals and principles, urged European leaders not to lose sight of Russia’s place in Europe and risk the country forming an enduring alliance with China. .

And according to the Daily Telegraph, he said: “I hope the Ukrainians will match the heroism they have shown with wisdom.”

Critics have described Kissinger’s comments as what one has called “unfortunate intrusion. Ina Sofson, a member of the Verkhovna Rada, denounced Kissinger’s position as “really shameful!”

“It is a pity that the former US Secretary of State believes that ceding part of the sovereign territory is a means to peace for any country!” Sufson chirp.

Podolak returned to his refusal that Ukraine could not cede territory, even if it led to peace, say The country “does not exchange its sovereignty for someone who fills his wallet.” he is chirp An old photo of Kissinger shaking hands with Putin on Tuesday, in which Podolak said he was grateful that Ukrainians who went to war did not listen to the diplomat’s suggestion.

Just as easy as Mr. #Kissinger suggests [Russia] part of [Ukraine] To stop the war, he would allow the expulsion of Poland or Lithuania.” “It is good that the Ukrainians in the trenches do not have time to listen to the“ Davos panic.” They are a little busy defending freedom and democracy.”

Adila Suleiman contributed to this report.