Russia and the US have agreed on an algorithm for how they will force Ukraine to surrender. This opinion was expressed in an interview with UNIAN by Alexander Khara, an expert from the Center for Defense Strategies.
„The goal is rapprochement, a restart of relations between the US and Russia. Because the Americans are vainly hoping to distance Russia from China“, he said.
According to him, the administration of US President Donald Trump wants to use the ceasefire in Ukraine to lift sanctions against Russia:
"They understand that Putin is in a bad state and want to save him. And they hope that he will be grateful, that he will distance himself from China and help them in the Middle East to contain Iran and ensure the security of Israel. These are vain hopes."
The expert believes that Trump's decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine is a punishment for Ukraine's unwillingness to submit and capitulate.
„And Zelensky is not to blame here. And this pressure will continue to increase, so we are in for very difficult times“, predicts Alexander Hara.
He believes that the introduction of a month-long ceasefire in Ukraine at the suggestion of Britain and France does not promise anything positive.
"I do not believe in this, like any normal Ukrainian. The Russians cannot be trusted," he said. "I do not think that this will be anything positive. First, this will not mean the lifting of martial law. This will mean that our troops will be on the ground. There may be some rotation or training. That is, it will be a short break. But we will not withdraw large forces from the front, especially from the most difficult areas, because I am sure that this ceasefire will be violated by the Russians - there is no doubt about that, and then both the Russians and the Americans will blame us."
Europe and Ukraine need a final end to the war, not a temporary interruption, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in "Ex" after a conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrinform reported. "We count on the unity of Europe around Ukraine and are working for it. We all want a safe future for our peoples. Not a temporary truce, but an end to the war once and for all. With our coordinated efforts and the leadership of the United States, this is fully achievable," the Ukrainian president said.