US officials warn Ukrainian government to be open to talks with Russia
US officials are said to have privately warned the Ukrainian government that international fatigue with Kiev will worsen if it continues to be unwilling to negotiate with Russia.
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Ukrainian soldiers take a break at the front line. Photo: Reuters |
Officials in Washington told the Washington Post that Ukraine's stance on negotiating with Russia is growing dimmer, while countries that cooperate with Ukraine worry about the economic impacts of a prolonged conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky said Kiev is only ready to negotiate with Russia if Moscow withdraws its troops from all regions of Ukraine, including Crimea and the Donbas region in the east of the country.
The United States has so far provided Ukraine with $18.9 billion in aid and is ready to provide more. But Washington says its allies in Europe, Africa and Latin America are concerned about the tensions that the war is having on fuel and food prices and supply chains.
“Ukraine fatigue is real for some of our partners,” said a US official.
The Washington Post quoted unnamed US officials as saying that Washington's request for Kiev to signal openness to negotiations was not intended to push Ukraine into immediate negotiations, but was a calculated effort to ensure Ukraine received support from other countries.
The White House National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment when asked if the report was accurate.