No choice but to reject a bad peace agreement: NPR

Three years since Russia launched its entire invasion of Ukraine, the United States and his European allies, are sharply distributed over the war. The gorge came into the focus on Monday, when the US joined Russia and countries such as Noord -Korea and Iran against a resolution at the general meeting of the UN that encouraged Moscow to withdraw his troops from Ukraine. With the UN Security Council, the US scored approval for a resolution that called for immediately at the end of the conflict without holding Russia responsible or to state its invasion.

The leaders of France and Great -Britain meet President Trump in Washington this week, while European countries promise elevated help and military support for Ukraine. But it remains unclear whether the support of Europe is sufficient in the light of the American support that quickly leaves Ukraine and to Russia.

Ihor Brusylo, deputy head of President Volodymyr Zenskyy, called Trump “a peacemaker and a deal maker,” while he expressed hope that Washington would continue to help his country.

The Senior Ukrainian officer also suggested that a possible agreement between the US-ukraine about mineral resources could strengthen economic partnerships.

This interview was edited for length and clarity

Interview highlights

Steve Inskeep: Some American observers of the foreign policy who listen to the president and others in the administration talk as if the United States changed party in the war. Do you see it that way?

Ihor Brusylo: Well, I wouldn’t say it that way. Perhaps negotiations started with the Russian side, and the Americans want to see to what extent Russia is ready to go into this negotiation, so to speak, to check the situation and test the grounds. But we do not believe that the United States has shifted their position. No, we believe that the United States is a leader in the world, and it will stay that way. At least, the US backstop will be available for the European Continent.

Steve Inskeep: I suppose that if you are right that the United States will just go as far as possible to see if Russia is serious about closing peace. Anyway, it may work useful for Ukraine. Either there is a real peace agreement or it has been proven that Russia is not really interested in peace. Is that how you see it?

Brusylo: Well, yes, I don’t think Russia is really interested in this peace. We have previously had relationships with our so -called neighbor.

Inskeep: Is Ukraine serious about peace on any realistic conditions?

Brusylo: We can continue with the exchange of prisoners of war. That would show the determination of each party to accept the peace agreement.

Inskeep: Have you achieved the point of thinking that a peace, no matter how temporary, will not be in Ukraine to reclaim 100% of his territory from before 2014?

Brusylo: That is where the negotiation will start. We must recover our country that it has been caught illegally. This is the issue of negotiations.

Inskeep: When thinking about this situation and thinking about some statements that American officials have said, I started to think about conflicts in other places. The conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir comes up in me, where none of both parties formally recognized the claim of the other on territory, but there is a place where the combat lines have been stopped, and perhaps not always, but usually it is there Silent. Is that where we can go here for Ukraine?

Brusylo: Well, it is of course not the best option for us. But again, the conversations will raise some issues about which the parties must be discussed. What I can say is that we are not ready to accept territorial concessions. We have no other option than to say no to a bad peace agreement.

Inskeep: Even if this means that you would lose the support of the United States in this hypothetical situation?

Brusylo: Well, I wouldn’t even want to think about that, because President Trump is a peacemaker and a deal maker. I would not think that President Trump would surrender this situation to Russia and show Ukraine personally with Russia without help.

Inskeep: How does the proposed agreement between the United States and Ukraine fit about the minerals of minerals?

Brusylo: This actually means the economic partnership between two countries, probably to see if a common fund can be established, filled with money that comes from exploration and extraction of rare earth, or critical minerals. And it means that security guarantees should get hand in hand with the US economic presence in Ukraine.

Inskeep: I also think of the German elections last weekend. The likely new Chancellor issued a television statement during the weekend, in which he said, looking at the statements of President Trump and the people around him, it is clear that these Americans, as he expressed it, are not so interested in the The future of Europe and Europe must switch to greater independence of the United States. If he is right, what does that mean for Ukraine?

Brusylo: What I can say is that Europe should at least be strong. That is why it is important for President Zenskyy to meet President Trump, to talk directly about developments, as is now the case with the Americans who talk to Russians. It will take some time, but I believe that Europe and the United States, including Ukraine, will see face to face. And I don’t think one of the continents will give up the values ​​that they cherish and with which people can lead a free and worthy life.

Olivia Hampton edited the radio and digital version of this interview and Majd Al-Waheidi produced it for the internet.