(Dan Tri) – Former NATO Commander James Stavridis said that Russia and Ukraine can find an opportunity for negotiation after both sides feel tired of the long conflict.
Ukrainian soldiers fire a self-propelled gun in the Zaporizhzhia region (Photo: Reuters).
`I think by the end of this year, perhaps after the US election, the parties will have time to negotiate,` said former US Admiral James G. Stavridis, who served as Supreme Commander of NATO’s armed forces.
The US presidential election is scheduled to take place in November, with former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden both running for the White House this year.
Mr. Stavridis compared the final solution of the Russia-Ukraine war to the Korean War, speculating that Russia could retain control over some areas of Ukraine, such as the Crimean peninsula and the land corridor connecting it.
`I see that Ukraine may be about to join NATO. I think the content of that agreement may become clearer this year,` Mr. Stavridis said.
According to the former NATO commander, `both Russia and Ukraine are increasingly exhausted by this war, in terms of military capacity as well as economic sanctions being imposed on both sides.`
Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kalinyak also expressed similar views.
`It’s time to start talking about peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia,` Mr. Kalinyak said, adding that the Russia-Ukraine war `has no military solution.`
`No matter how the conflict ends, Ukraine will always have a border with Russia. Russia will not back down,` Mr. Kalinyak said.
Slovakia’s Defense Minister said that the situation on the front had `frozen`.
`Given the current state of military conflict, it is necessary to start talking about peace negotiations. The leaders of the European Union and the United States should participate in this process,` said the head of the Slovak Ministry of Defense.
Previously, former Supreme Commander of NATO Armed Forces in Europe James Stavridis also predicted that the Russia-Ukraine war would tend to end like the Korean War, ending with an armistice agreement and a de-escalation zone.
The Korean War ended on July 27, 1953 with an armistice.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has lasted for nearly 2 years, but shows no signs of abating.
Moscow stated clearly that negotiations will only take place when Ukraine accepts the `new territorial reality`, which means recognizing Russia’s control over part of the territory in Ukraine, including the territories that Russia has declared.
Meanwhile, Kiev declared that it would not accept freezing the conflict or making territorial concessions to Russia.
According to experts, Moscow is looking to prolong the war in Ukraine until after the US presidential election later this year in the hope that a new administration in the US will change its policy of supporting Kiev, leading to a similar reaction.
