Military curbs will be red line in truce talks: Kyiv

Locked in stalemate | Putin’s terms will leave Ukraine sans a deterrent  to potential future Russian aggression

Agencies KYIV

Ukraine has told the US that accepting curbs on the size of its armed forces or on its military's overall readiness would be a red line, a senior Ukrainian official has said, as US President Donald Trump strives to negotiate an end to the ongoing war  with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly stated his desire to see Ukraine's army significantly reduced. He also insists that Kyiv abandon its aspirations to join NATO and that Moscow must control the entirety of four Ukrainian regions it claims as its own.

"This is a principled position of Ukraine – no one, and certainly not the aggressor country Russia, will dictate to Ukraine what kind of armed forces Ukraine should have," said  Pavlo Palisa, a deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, in a recent interview. Palisa was part of the Ukrainian delegation that engaged in discussions with US officials in Saudi Arabia last month.

Palisa emphasized that a well-equipped and prepared Ukrainian military serves as Kyiv's most crucial security guarantee against potential future Russian aggression, particularly in the event of a ceasefire or peace agreement. "I can guess what the Russian Federation is guided by — maybe they want to prepare, to make it easier for themselves in the future, but no. Our task is to learn the lessons (of the past) well," Palisa added, underscoring Ukraine's determination to maintain its defensive capabilities.

During the initial meeting with US officials in Saudi Arabia, Ukraine reportedly agreed to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire proposed by the US. Following this, Washington resumed military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv after a brief pause. However, Russia asserted that critical conditions needed to be addressed before any ceasefire could be implemented.

Subsequently, both sides separately agreed to cease attacks on each other's energy infrastructure, though accusations of violations have since emerged from both Kyiv and Moscow. Ukraine has indicated the possibility of another round of talks with US officials next week and claims to have shared evidence of Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure with the United States, asserting its adherence to the agreement.

While Trump's administration has advocated for a swift resolution to the full-scale war initiated by Russia in February 2022, a lasting peace settlement appears distant. Intense fighting persists, and Ukraine's top military commander has reported a new Russian offensive underway in the northeast.

Currently, Russia controls approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. Beyond the issue of its armed forces, Ukraine has declared it will never recognize Russian sovereignty over its land, although it has acknowledged the impracticality of reclaiming all occupied territories by force.

In addition to maintaining a robust military, Palisa stressed the significance of security guarantees from Ukraine's US and European partners as a deterrent against future Russian aggression. While the United States has not yet committed to providing such guarantees, some European nations have discussed forming a "coalition of the willing" to potentially deploy troops to enhance deterrence.