‘Ukraine should not count on the return of territories and it is time to think about a deal with Russia’, – New York Times

Given the failure of last year’s counteroffensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the resistance from the U.S. Congress to further aid Ukraine, Kiev should not hope for the return of lost territories and will have to consider the option of concluding a peace agreement with Russia.

This is the opinion of New York Times commentator Julian Barnes.

In his view, Vladimir Putin may agree to a peace agreement under which the territories currently occupied by Russian troops will return to Moscow, and Ukraine will be forced to maintain neutrality, halting the process of integration with Europe. Ukrainians call this deal capitulation, but without additional American assistance, they may be forced to accept it, the journalist warns.

Barnes considers the best deal for Ukraine to be the return of at least some of the lost territories, plus a promise that the United States and Europe will help protect it from Russia. But for this deal to become possible, Ukraine would need stronger armed forces, and thus, additional assistance from the United States. However, it is not advisable to count on this, as for several months now, the aid package promised to Ukraine by Biden has been stalled in the American Congress due to Republican resistance.