NO COMMON LANGUAGE FOR PEACE TALKS

In recent days, several significant military and political events have taken place in Russia, which determined the interim results of military operations and outlined the future direction of Russian foreign policy. As for the situation on the battlefield, the Chief of the Russian General Staff explained that currently the Russian army is focused on taking control of the full territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The situation on the front lines, which are currently extended for 815 kilometers, has been stabilized. In his speech on December 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time called the conflict in Ukraine a “war” and not a special military operation. At the same time, the Russian president once again confirmed Russia’s desire to end the military conflict as soon as possible. A year ago, Russia proposed that the United States and NATO sign several security guarantees, which included the exclusion of further NATO expansion to the east and set limits to the deployment of military bases and weapons, in particular in Europe and the countries of the former USSR. However, Moscow’s initiative saw no support in Washington. On December 23, the Director of the North American Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the conditions that must be met in order to return to negotiations. No negotiations will begin until the supply of weapons to Kiev and its financing stop, until Western military personnel, mercenaries and instructors are withdrawn from the territory of Ukraine, and until the “realities on the battlefield” defined by Russia are recognized. The Russian diplomat stressed that under the cover of loud claims of the absence of aggressive intentions against Russia and adherence to the Minsk agreements, the West rearmed the Ukrainian Army and supported Kiev in its intention to capture and destroy the Donbass. Thus, there is no trust in the United States and the West. Meanwhile, Zelensky has been on a Christmas tour to his Western partners, begging for more money and weapons for his war-torn country in exchange for photos and PR campaigns of Western leaders. Biden said at a meeting with Zelensky that he was ready to seek a “just peace” with Russia. His peace plan containss a new package of military support to Kiev, which included the Patriot air defense systems. Vladimir Putin has already called such a decision an attempt to prolong the conflict and he stated that the Russians would “snap the Patriots like seeds”. After Zelensky’s visit to Washington, the US Senate adopted a draft federal budget for fiscal year 2023. It includes an amendment allowing the transfer of confiscated assets of Russian businessmen for humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine. The draft budget allocates $44.9 billion to help Ukraine and NATO allies. US defense spending next year will amount to a record $858 billion.