"Keep Dialogue Open with Russia," US Government Urges Ukraine to Pursue Peace Talks

US Source Mentions 'War Fatigue'... Also Seen as a Calculated Attempt to Maintain Support
President Zelensky Takes a Hardline Stance: "Dialogue with Putin Impossible"

Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Sung-wook] The U.S. government is reportedly quietly persuading Ukraine not to completely rule out the possibility of dialogue with Russia. On the 5th (local time), the Washington Post (WP) reported this, citing sources familiar with the matter.

One source told WP, "Some of our partner countries are feeling fatigued by the war in Ukraine." Ukraine and Russia have held six rounds of negotiations since the outbreak of the war in February, but talks were temporarily suspended after Russia unilaterally annexed four occupied territories within Ukraine. In particular, Ukrainian President Zelensky has taken the position that dialogue with Russian President Putin is impossible, stating that he will not hold peace talks with Russia unless President Putin steps down.

WP analyzed that while U.S. officials sympathize with Ukraine’s stance that President Putin is not serious about negotiations, this ban on talks has raised concerns about the devastating impact of the war on the availability and cost of food and fuel in parts of Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

Especially, with allies such as the U.S. approaching elections, opposition to support for Ukraine is growing among political circles and the public. According to polls in the U.S., Republican support for funding Ukraine’s military at the current level is weakening. Consequently, resistance to continuing the largest annual security assistance program for Ukraine could be reflected in the midterm elections.

WP explained, "The U.S. government’s request is not to push Ukraine to the negotiating table," but rather "a calculated attempt to ensure continued support from other countries for Ukraine." It means that to maintain the support of governments facing voter resistance due to the prolonged war, the door to peace negotiations through dialogue with Russia must remain open.

Meanwhile, Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor, emphasized during his visit to Kyiv on the 4th, "The U.S. supports a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, and regardless of domestic politics, U.S. support will continue."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.