Volodymyr Zelensky, in the next phase of talks to end the war in Ukraine, intends to draw a red line at the most contentious issue on the table: the Russian demand for Ukraine’s sovereign territory. As long as he remains the nation’s president, Zelensky will not agree to give up land in exchange for peace, Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Andriy Yermak, told me today in an exclusive interview.
“Not a single sane person today would sign a document to give up territory,” said Yermak, who has served as Zelensky’s chief of staff, lead negotiator, and closest aide throughout the full-scale war with Russia.
“As long as Zelensky is president, no one should count on us giving up territory. He will not sign away territory,” he told me by telephone from Kyiv. “The constitution prohibits this. Nobody can do that unless they want to go against the Ukrainian constitution and the Ukrainian people.”
Given that Europe has had 4 years to start cranking up its military power and has failed to do so meaningfully, and the US looks like a vassal state of Russia at the moment, I feel this may become an inevitability if Europeans don’t stop bickering about where exactly gets to make what, and starts actually making things, like with the 2 modern fighter projects (as Europe cannot make its own 5th yet alone 6th gen fighters), or the joint European (France and Germany mainly) tank project.
You might want to look into that because Europe absolutely is ramping up its military response.
What part about mentioning 3 specific projects as examples of where Europe is not doing enough makes you think that I am not aware of their efforts?
I am specifically saying those efforts are not enough nor are they soon enough.
You’re statement would have had more truth to it in 2023 then it does today. Europe is still behind Russia in that regard but Russia committed to fully switching to a wartime economy.
Just to be clear, your point and argument, are that I am correct, but I am wrong because exactly as I mentioned, Europe could have done better if they bolstered their defences and prepared?
It feels like you’ve just taken my comment as an attack on Europe, but have no real criticisms of my points.
My statement would be less true, not more true in 2023, because the point is, the longer they go without having done so, the more dire the situation becomes.