Peace negotiations, renouncing NATO membership, and giving up one's own territories! Recently, a number of Western politicians have been discussing how the war in Ukraine should come to an end. In particular, members of the team of the new US president Donald Trump have made several controversial statements that have outraged both Ukrainians and the European community. This was reported by Kontrakty.UA.
What is currently being said in the West about the potential end of the war in Ukraine was shared in an exclusive interview with TSN.UA by Lyudmila Trufin.
Renouncing Territories
The presidential elections in the USA have prompted a number of Ukrainian and Western politicians to discuss the possible conclusion of the war in Ukraine. Each of them has put forward their suggestions on how to bring about peace. For instance, last autumn, newly elected US Vice President Jay D. Vance called on Ukraine to give up territories for the sake of peace with the Russian Federation. He is convinced that such statements are already being made in discussions with Ukrainian officials, particularly in private settings.
"They are starting to talk about this now. They say it can't go on forever. They have no people, no weapons, no money."
He also noted that Russia should not have attacked Ukraine, but both warring sides want to end the conflict. According to him, the role of the US is to ask Russia and Ukraine what they need in order to then "impose real diplomacy." Notably, the president of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini, also believes that Ukraine will have to make "partial territorial losses" to end the war.
"When it comes to peace, I believe we need to be realists. At this point, probably no one in Europe among reasonable people believes that peace can be achieved without some partial territorial losses for Ukraine."
Pellegrini assured that his opinion is based on information about the situation at the front, which he claims to receive daily. He also urged Ukraine and Russia to sit down at the negotiating table as soon as possible.
No Easy Solution
French President Emmanuel Macron, during his traditional speech to the French Armed Forces, stated that the war in Ukraine will not end soon.
"The war will not end tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."
Instead, he emphasized the importance of providing Ukraine with necessary guarantees after the cessation of hostilities to prevent a repeat of the war on its territory. It should be noted that earlier, the French president also stated that there will be no quick and easy solution to ending the war in Ukraine. In his view, only Ukraine should have "realistic discussions regarding territorial issues." Meanwhile, the US, according to the French president, must help Europeans change the nature of the situation and convince Russia to come to the negotiating table.
"And Europeans must build security guarantees for Ukraine, which will be their primary responsibility."
He also added that Ukraine's capitulation cannot be good for Europeans and Americans, and that "trust" in the West will be "undermined" if it agrees to a "compromise" due to "fatigue" from the conflict.
What Germany Says
In contrast to Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed hope that the active phase of the war in Ukraine would end this year. He noted that all possible options need to be considered "on how to stop the killings and make peace possible." At the same time, he stated that a peaceful solution cannot be sought "over the heads of Ukrainians and Europeans." For their part, the German government acknowledges that Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin may soon end the war in Ukraine, writes BILD, citing "internal analysis" from the government.
This analysis reportedly concludes that "the Kremlin could end the war this year and is already sending corresponding signals to the Russians and the international community." According to BILD, the reasons for this conclusion include the deteriorating economic situation in Russia and the preparation of the Russian president's administration for the post-war electoral campaign for the parliamentary elections in 2026. Another factor in the scenario for a quick end to the war is the desire of the elected US president Donald Trump to begin negotiations with Moscow and Kyiv as soon as possible.
Three Key Points
US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz believes that there are three key questions remaining on the path to ending the war in Ukraine, which he considers essential. As the official clarified, these questions pertain to potential negotiations between Ukraine and Russia:
“First – who should be at the negotiating table; second – how to bring them to the negotiating table; third – what the terms of the agreement should be. The conflict needs to stop, and President Trump clearly states this and is determined to make it happen."
According to the American official, the war in Ukraine "combines methods of warfare from the time of World War I" and also carries risks of escalation to World War III, as Russia has involved North Korean troops.
Promises from the US President
During his election campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly claimed that he would achieve a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours. At the same time, he never specified how he plans to do this. However, now Trump's team has stated that significant progress in resolving the issue of Russia's war against Ukraine is not expected at least within the next six months. Subsequently, Trump commented on his promise to "end the war in Ukraine in a day" and stated that he would try to do it as quickly as possible. As the president noted, possible timelines for ending the war will only become clear after a conversation with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. This conversation may happen very soon, Trump emphasized.
Trump's Peace Plan
Many media outlets have circulated various versions of Donald Trump's "peace plan" for ending the war in Ukraine. One version discusses the possibility of creating an 800-mile buffer zone between Russian and Ukrainian forces, which would be patrolled by European and British troops. Another envisions freezing the conflict along the current front line. In exchange for this, Ukraine would have to postpone its NATO membership for 20 years. According to Western media reports, there is currently no concrete peace plan from Trump; it is still in the discussion stage. However, it will be based on two key parameters: freezing hostilities along the front line and Ukraine's renunciation of NATO membership.
Concessions from Both Sides
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that to end the war in Ukraine, each side "will have to give something up". At the same time, he acknowledged that Russia is the aggressor in the conflict, reports CNN.
"We want the war to end. That is quite clear. You saw what the president said; he wants to be the president who promotes peace and ends conflicts, and that will also be difficult. These are complicated matters. I do not want to and cannot set time limits, other than to say that every time you try to end a conflict between two sides, neither of which can achieve its maximum goals, each side will have to concede something."
The official did not provide an explanation as to why Ukraine should make concessions. However, he noted that a foundation is currently being laid for future peace negotiations.
Significant Security Guarantees
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated in an interview with Le Monde that ending the war in Ukraine will not only be a victory on the battlefield. Diplomatic achievements and political settlement will be an important component, in which joining NATO will be fundamental.
According to the politician, the war will end not only due to military actions on the front lines but also as a result of political settlement.
"It is very important for Ukraine to receive the necessary security guarantees and for Russian aggression to be repelled. And we here in Europe really understand that we cannot allow Russia to invade Ukraine again shortly after the war ends. Therefore, this path [for Ukraine] to NATO and these security guarantees will be fundamental."
It should be noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that