Ukraine’s president says he wants an end to the protracted war this fall, appealing to the West for more weapons to “put decisive pressure on Russia”.
– Let’s make this fall a time for Russian aggression to fall – in a way that will end the war and restore a reliable international security order, he declared this week.
In the past, it has been said that Russia must be crushed militarily by Ukraine – while describing compromise and peace talks as unthinkable – but this rhetoric has become increasingly rare. A growing number of Western authorities now believe that Russia cannot be defeated on the battlefield and that the war can only be ended through compromise and negotiation.
Volodymyr Zelensky hopes the war can end as early as this fall – but only if the US and other Western allies continue to supply money and weapons.
– We are ready to produce more of our own weapons, right here in Ukraine. We are ready to work with you on joint production. This includes drones, missiles, and other weapons that have proven themselves in combat and can strengthen your men and women in the Defense Forces after this war. To achieve this, we need funding – we are ready to quickly produce everything that will help us bring this war to an end, namely, by putting decisive pressure on Russia for real peace, he declared during a meeting with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last week.
– Let’s make this fall a time when Russian aggression falls – in a way that ends the war and restores the reliable international security order. We must do it, he continued, arguing that Ukraine needs more fighter jets, drones and various other weapons.
Moscow does not rule out peace talks
The US Secretary of Defense also stressed the importance of increased arms production for Ukraine, announcing that the US has earmarked more than $200 million to purchase “critical components” for the production of drones and electronic warfare systems, as well as to help Ukraine produce missile systems.
According to several military observers, Kiev has suffered several battlefield setbacks in recent months as it struggles to replace its losses.
Russian troops are reportedly making gains in Donbass, and in hopes that Moscow would call back its soldiers, Ukraine entered Russia’s Kursk region on August 6 and captured several villages. However, the Russian advance has reportedly continued since then, and according to President Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian offensive in Kursk has “weakened” the country’s army on other fronts.
It is also worth noting that peace negotiations between Moscow and Kiev broke down in the spring of 2022. Last week, Putin said that Russia was ready to resume negotiations – but only on its own terms and only after Ukrainian attempts to “destabilize the situation” in the border regions have been neutralized, Russian state broadcaster RT reported.
