Katerina Schwartz10:15, 08.01.25

Western leaders must come up with a reliable security formula that will protect Ukrainian statehood and deter further Russian aggression, the expert noted.

Putin’s ” peace plan ” is in fact a call for Ukraine’s complete capitulation, Serhiy Kuzan, chairman of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation (UCSC), wrote in an article for the Atlantic Council.

In his opinion, despite the fact that as the inauguration day of the US President-elect Donald Trump approaches, speculation is growing that Kyiv and Moscow may soon begin serious peace talks, Putin is unlikely to be ready to give up his goal of conquering Ukraine.

“Instead, the ‘peace formula’ currently being promoted by Kremlin officials will likely pave the way for the next stage of Putin’s campaign to completely destroy Ukrainian independence,” the author noted.

Kuzan added that Moscow’s demands are deliberately aimed at leaving Ukraine internationally isolated and unable to defend itself.

“If these conditions are imposed on the Ukrainian authorities, there can be no doubt that Putin will use any subsequent lull in hostilities to rearm before resuming the war in the coming years,” the expert warned.

He said Russia’s true intentions can be seen in its insistence that Ukraine abandon its attempts to join NATO and adopt permanent geopolitical neutrality. Moscow claims this is necessary to ensure Russia’s national security, but Putin’s actions suggest otherwise.

“Given the diametrically opposed positions of Russia and Ukraine on NATO membership, it seems clear that security guarantees will be the most problematic issue in any upcoming negotiations to end the war. Will Western leaders be able to come up with a credible security formula that will protect Ukrainian statehood and deter further Russian aggression? If they do not, Ukraine’s prospects will be bleak, and the rest of Europe will face years of costly confrontation with a resurgent Russia,” stated Serhiy Kuzan.

(C)UNIAN 2025