Ukraine set: No negotiations with Russia without withdrawing troops

2022-06-04 17:57:27Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Ukraine set: No negotiations with Russia without withdrawing troops

Ukraine said On Saturday that it made no sense to negotiate with Moscow unless Russian forces back down as much as possible towards the borders.

Ukraine's presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak made the comment when asked about an offer by French President Emmanuel Macron to mediate talks between Kiev and Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.

"... Until we get all the possible amounts of weapons, until we strengthen our positions, until we push (Russian forces) as much as possible towards Ukraine's borders, there is no point in negotiating," Podolyak said.

Mr Macron, who has been trying to keep dialogue with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin open since Moscow's aggression began on February 24th, said the West should not humiliate Russia, so as to keep open the possibility of a diplomatic solution.

Ukraine, which says Russia has already occupied about 20% of its territory, is taking more powerful weapons from the West.

"Our armed forces are ready to use (new weapons). And then I think we can start a new round of talks when our positions are strengthened," Ukrainian lawmaker David Arakhamia, who is also a member of the negotiating team, said Friday.

Among other things, the United States will give Ukraine high-precise HIMARS missile systems that have the capacity to hit Russian positions from a long range of action.


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