The establishment of lasting peace in Ukraine requires meeting a series of preconditions to prevent Russia from starting the war again, says Andrii Yermak, the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, The Guardian reports.
Yermak says that with his arrival in Jeddah for negotiations, “the three-year war the Russian Federation has waged on my country has never seemed closer” for him.
He noted that recent discussions between Ukraine and its partners “have given rise to great hope” that the Ukrainian people will soon return to the peaceful life they had before the war began in 2014 and escalated dramatically in 2022.
“I believe that together with strong American leadership, we can reach this goal,” Yermak states.
He adds that while the Ukrainian people most desire an end to this war, peace must be just and lasting.
“A ceasefire in Ukraine will not come through diplomatic gestures alone. A number of conditions are crucial beforehand in order to ensure that peace – when it comes – is lasting. This includes putting political and financial pressure on Russia to raise the cost of renewed conflict,” Yermak emphasizes.
First, Ukraine must receive security guarantees that will instill confidence in a future ceasefire agreement.
Second, Europe must act decisively to strengthen and expand sanctions against Russia.
Third, Europe must take control of Russia’s frozen assets to ensure continuous and increased support for Ukraine.
“Europe cannot allow a ceasefire that serves only to allow Russia to rearm, rebuild its forces and come back for more Ukrainian lands and resources,” Yermak stresses.
He says that to avoid such a scenario, Europe must be economically and politically resilient.
“Europe must be prepared to act to deliver its own security, and Russia must understand the political and economic cost of using force to achieve its ends,” he concludes.
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