THE INDEPENDENT | Published December 1, 2029
Ukrainian president ‘playing a very sophisticated game’ with remarks on Nato, says Sir Tony Brenton
Volodymyr Zelensky’s suggestion that Ukraine could temporarily cede territory to Russia in exchange for joining Nato would mark a “major concession” to Vladimir Putin, the UK’s former ambassador to Russia has said.
In a significant development on the route to a potential ceasefire after 33 months of conflict, the Ukrainian president indicated for the first time that Kyiv could accept Russian control over some of its territory in order to end the “hot phase of the war”.
With Moscow appearing to ramp up its push for territory in Ukraine’s east ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January, Mr Zelensky told Sky News that peace could be struck if territory he controls is taken “under the Nato umbrella”, allowing him to negotiate the return of the rest later “in a diplomatic way”.
Praising Mr Zelensky for “playing a very sophisticated game”, Sir Tony Brenton – who served as ambassador to Russia between 2004 and 2008 – told the broadcaster: “He knows that Trump is about to descend on him and on Russia. He is already arranging to have something to offer Trump.
“What he is suggesting in many ways is bringing us much closer to the obvious target area, which is a freeze in the fighting where the lines actually currently are, and then an eventual negotiation about who retains which bit of territory, and then security guarantees for Ukraine in the course of that ceasefire.”
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SOURCE: www.independent.co.uk
RELATED: Ukraine’s offer to sacrifice land to Russia is a ‘major concession’ – but shows Zelensky is ‘plaing a very sophisticated game’, top diplomat says
DAILY MAIL | Published December 1, 2029
Ukraine’s offer to sacrifice land to Russia is ‘a major concession’ to satisfy Donald Trump, a top UK diplomat said yesterday.
Sir Tony Brenton, former UK ambassador to Russia, said president Volodymyr Zelensky was ‘playing a very sophisticated game’ in calling for Ukrainian-controlled territories to come under the Nato umbrella.
‘He knows that Donald Trump is about to descend on him and on Russia,’ Sir Tony said. ‘He is already arranging to have something to offer Trump on Trump’s mission to bring the war to an end.
‘What he is suggesting in many ways is bringing us much closer to the obvious target area, which is a freeze in the fighting where the lines actually currently are and then an eventual negotiation about who retains which bit of territory, and then security guarantees for Ukraine in the course of that ceasefire.’
The ex-ambassador told Sky News that Zelensky had made ‘quite a major concession’ in stating he is prepared to see a ceasefire and then negotiate the return of Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine over the long term.
But he said Moscow may regard his offer in a different light to the incoming US president. ‘Putin will see this as a concession by Zelensky,’ said Sir Tony, who served in Moscow for four years to 2008. He will say to himself, ‘Ah, they are feeling weak, I can press for more’. That is a danger as we go into this.’
Zelensky’s remarks on Friday signalled a possible way forward for Ukraine to join Nato.
At a summit in Washington in July, the 32 members of the alliance declared Ukraine to be on an ‘irreversible path’ to membership.
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SOURCE: www.dailymail.co.uk
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