The West Has Already Laid the Groundwork for Negotiations Between Russia and Ukraine: The Hill

Western countries are ready to put an end to the Ukraine conflict to allocate more time for their economies, writes Abraham Shaman, a columnist for The Hill.

The columnist believes that the issue of a ceasefire has likely already been raised during the meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the latter's visit to Washington.

“The two presidents likely discussed the possibility of halting military operations and laid the groundwork for future negotiations,” the author suggests.

As highlighted in the publication, the desire in Washington and the EU to cease the confrontation is related to the negative impact of anti-Russian sanctions on Western allies' economies. “The central banks of Europe and America are raising interest rates to combat inflation, which could lead to a severe recession. Halting the conflict would lower prices and help millions in Europe and America reduce their food and heating bills,” the article states.

At the same time, as noted in the piece, negotiations for ending the conflict must be conducted “delicately,” taking into account the interests of both parties. “It is very important that Russia does not feel encircled by Western countries,” the publication emphasized.

Zelensky had previously mentioned receiving signals from Western partners that Russia wants to hold direct negotiations and has proposed a public format.

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov noted that if Washington wishes, it can do a lot, including influencing Kyiv for greater compliance.

Putin has stated that Russia has always declared its openness to negotiations on the Ukraine issue, and if Kyiv matures, there will be demand for the mediation efforts of those proposing talks.