The Russian leader Vladimir Putin will demand a significant reduction in the Ukrainian army during potential negotiations.
This opinion was expressed by President Vladimir Zelensky during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Duration and outcomes of negotiations involving RussiaThis infographic illustrates the duration and outcomes of negotiations involving Russia based on several wars.According to him, this demand may be put forward in the absence of strong security guarantees for Ukraine.
“One of the important questions that Putin will raise, and we will all see this, is the drastic reduction of the Ukrainian army. Because it is quite clear. If we managed to build an army of 800,000, it is evident that we plus Europe constitute an army capable of defending itself and resisting Putin,” Zelensky stated.
He believes that Putin will exert pressure on the United States in future negotiations, “so that Ukraine is not in NATO, and will pressure all allies to push us to reduce our army by five times.”
However, Zelensky asserted that the military-political leadership will not allow a reduction of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“That is what he wants. We will not allow this to happen, but he will try to achieve it,” the president concluded.
It is worth noting that recently, Foreign Minister Andrei Sibiga pointed out that Ukrainian authorities have not renounced the principle of not negotiating personally with the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
Earlier, the special representative of U.S. President Donald Trump on Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, expressed the opinion that both sides are ready for negotiations, and the newly elected U.S. president has the resources and vision to facilitate a peaceful resolution.
Zelensky, meanwhile, expressed confidence that Trump is capable of helping Ukraine stop Putin and become a decisive factor in ending the war.
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