Volodymyr Zelensky takes a new step forward to imagine the end of the conflict, while waiting for the arrival of Donald Trump at the White House. The Ukrainian leader has opened up to a freeze in the conflict with “the unoccupied part of Ukraine immediately under the umbrella of NATO“, while we will then think about the territories occupied by the Russians: “We can bring them back in a way diplomatic” he hypothesized in an interview with Sky News.
It's a turning for the Ukrainian line that now opens to a possible peace with Russia even without the lost territories. Zelensky said he was open to an agreement cease-fire with Russia on condition that Ukraine receives the NATO protection. “If we want to end the hot phase of the war, we need to put the Ukrainian territory that we currently control under the NATO umbrella,” Zelensky said in the interview.
Zelensky: “Ukraine can regain lost territories through diplomacy”
The Ukrainian leader stressed the need for urgent action to ensure the security of the country's free areas. As for the occupied territories, Zelensky expressed confidence in the possibility of regaining them through diplomatic means. "Ukraine can return them diplomatically," he added, outlining a strategy aimed at avoiding further military escalations.
Long-Range Missiles: The Shift from Biden to Trump
It is a turning point for the war. A few days ago, the Usa have consented to the use of long-range missiles also provided by them in the territory of Russia and not only in Ukraine. The concession came in the last days of the presidency Joe Biden more favorable to aid to Kiev. Donald Trump he is of the opinion that it would be appropriate to push for a rapid end to the conflict, even if this were to be at the expense of Ukraine, which would receive less aid from the tycoon.
General Winter takes action
Kieth Kellogg, Trump's appointed envoy for Ukraine, proposed last summer to tie aid to Ukraine's willingness to sit down with Russia to draw new borders on the current war fronts. In the meantime the winter is approaching and Moscow strikes the energy infrastructure leaving the Ukrainian population in the dark and cold. In recent months, Russia's attacks have intensified again, after Ukraine conquered significant portions of enemy territory in the Kursk region with its counteroffensive.
Zelensky, who under the pressure of the Russian advance in the east of the country, has torpedoed the commander of the ground forces Oleksandr Pavliuk, in office for only nine months, appointing in his place Mykhailo Drapatyi, also renewed his desire for dialogue with Trump: "I want to work directly with him because there are different voices in the people around him. And that's why we must not (allow) anyone to destroy our communication."
Russia Strengthens Ties With North Korea
Meanwhile, the Russia confirms the strengthening of the military axis with the North Korea following the alarms raised by Western countries and Seoul regarding the presence of North Korean troops on Russian territory. Moscow and Pyongyang they are expanding their relationships “in all areas, including military cooperation,” the Russian Defense Minister said, Andrei Belousov, in a surprise visit to Pyongyang. Meeting with his North Korean counterpart, No Kwang Chol, Belousov stressed the importance of the strategic cooperation treaty signed this year between the two countries, which among other things, he said, would foster “a new Eurasian security system.”
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, on the other hand, expressed full support for Moscow’s war against Ukraine and condemned the US and the West for allowing Kiev to use long-range missiles to strike Russia, calling the move a “direct” military intervention. Meeting Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov in Pyongyang on Friday, Kim, amid deepening bilateral military cooperation, called “Russia’s exercise of the right to self-defense” as “taking resolute action to make hostile forces pay the price,” state-run KCNA news agency reported.
