Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said on Wednesday that he sees an opportunity for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine now that Moscow has announced its retreat from Kherson and that the two sides should “seize the moment.”
“When there’s an opportunity to negotiate when peace can be achieved, seize it,” Milley told the Economic Club of New York. “Seize the moment.”
Milley thinks Russia is digging in for the winter and that the battle lines won’t change much over the next few months. He said lessons should be learned from World War I, when European powers’ refusal to negotiate led to millions more casualties in trench warfare.
Milley said Russia may be using the withdrawal to rest its troops for a future spring offensive but believes “there’s also an opportunity here, a window of opportunity for negotiation.”
The top US military officer said that the two sides need to reach a “mutual recognition” that victory “is maybe not achievable through military means, and therefore you need to turn to other means.”
Milley said that if a diplomatic solution isn’t reached, the US would continue arming Ukraine, and the US and NATO have big plans to support Kyiv for years to come. But Milley reiterated his view that negotiations are possible in an interview with CNBC the following day. “Now, what the future holds is not known with any degree of certainty, but we think there are some possibilities here for some diplomatic solutions,” he said.
His comments came after NBC News reported that some US and Western officials believe this winter will bring an opportunity for peace talks. But The New York Times reported on Thursday that Milley is at odds with other high-level US officials over his stance.
The Times report said that President Biden’s advisors have concluded that the moment is not ripe for peace talks and that the US shouldn’t be pressuring Ukraine to negotiate. The White House has been careful to maintain that it’s not nudging Ukraine to the negotiating table, with Biden repeating on Wednesday that the US won’t pursue anything about Ukraine “without Ukraine.”
But National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan did visit Kyiv last week and reportedly asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to soften his stance on negotiations. Zelensky previously ruled out talks with Russia as long as Vladimir Putin is president, but he dropped that position this week, although he is maintaining maximalist demands as preconditions for talks.
The comments from Milley and Sullivan’s request of Zelensky mark a significant shift in the US’s stance on negotiations. Up to this point, the Biden administration had discouraged diplomacy even when a deal was within reach after Ukraine and Russia held in-person peace talks in Istanbul at the end of March.
After the Istanbul talks, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Kyiv and urged against negotiations with Russia. Once it was clear there would be no deal, the US said its goal was to “weaken” Russia, and Congress passed a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine.
Nobody noticed that Ze has refused anything less than complete capitulation by Russia and return of all territory ever associated with Ukraine at any time in the last thousand years!!! Of course, the USA/ NATO have no influence and independent, democratic Ukraine makes all its own decisions. Sorry Milley, no go.
No I had not noticed – from what we know what the Ukrainians want is a return to the borders that Russia signed a treaty to recognize i.e. the borders as they were defined in 1994 at the signature of the Budapest Memorandum.
Is this a joke? Remember the last 8 years before 2022? When the USA/CIA overthrew the Uke govt?
Any actual evidence that the US/CIA did this or that the following two elections were not democratic? Because all people here have been able to provide so far is some very weak evidence that Nuland expressed the US preferences and that does not amount o anything even remotely as damaging as what Yevgeny Prigozhin or Russian state TV are saying about interfering the US elections and yet I do not claim that they were behind the January 6 coup attempt.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/russias-prigozhin-admits-interfering-us-elections-2022-11-07/
The budapest memomarandum is conveniently one of the most ignored subjects by russian supporters here. They prefer to talk about the minsk agreement and or skip to before 1994.
And yet I have them ever so often asking me if I have neglected or forgotten ‘history’!
Lol.
And you keep like skipping over everything that happened after 1994 as if the provocations ceased at that time.
I dont have that problem. You do.
Really? I’ve been constantly talking about provocations against Russia that started when the cold war ended and are the basis of the Russian invasion of Ukraine while your history book opens to Feb 24th, 2022.
Yes, you’ve been constantly repeating a one sided version crap.
I like to call it history. I can’t help it if you refuse to think anything happened before Feb 24th, 2022. Did you ever hear of the Cold War? I’m starting to wonder.
Where have you been? The elected president was forced to flee. We provided money for the adventure. VP Biden was the de facto controller after the effect, securing a cush job for Hunter ($85,000 per month) to do nothing. Victoria is on tape voicing who should be in charge (“Yats”).
I’ve been right here that the elected president was forced to flee does not mean that the US/CIA was involved – money was provided for Ukraine as it was for a great lot of other places – do you have any evidence that money was provided for the revolution?
That Nuland is on tape saying whom they thought should be in charge is not the same as that they put him there – he was the ‘natural’ candidate so no surprise that many would point to him – again not proof just innuendo.
Listen to the tape – carefully this time.
If there is a smoking gum moment, you should have no problem pointing it out you can put the quote in writing or reference the minute:Second mark it starts – all I heard was Nuland expressing how the US would like things to unfold – with no indication that they had actual powers to decide. So whishes rather than control i.e. not a US action but one which they had a preferred outcome of.
The elected president was forced to flee because he had sold his country to Putin.
Remember the Ukraine EU economic agreement that 90% of Ukrainians were in favor of. The one that would allow Ukraine to sell natural gas to the EU and open a free trade and would’ve brought prosperity to the people of Ukraine.
Yes, Putin bribed Yankovich with billions to u turn and cancel that agreement.
That’s why the people of Ukraine, known by you as nazis, revolted and threw his ass out and into Russia.
Tell the whole story when you talk about Maidan.
He is joking. Don’t you understand?
I did, Yevgeny Prigozhin was not however.
What Prigozhin has to do with American elections? He has enough of job in Donbass.
Not in 2016 – which was when the interference if it was there took place – either way if he claims to have interfered your suggestion that he could not have had the time counts for very little. Moreover you failed to get the point i.e. that I said that not even him claiming to have done so is actual proof that he or the Russians did so – and this underlines just how weak I think the Nuland’s expression of the US preferences are.
There is plenty of evidence. But one thing that is not difficult to track was the support the perpetrators received before, during, and after the coup which included the dissolution of the most popular political party in 2012 and the contempt held for the Minsk agreements.
So if there is plenty of evidence why do you provide none of it, like links to article supporting your assertions?
So during the Yanukovych presidency – how is that evidence that the US/CIA organized his ousting???
Causality error: Events post an event most often are not evidence of the causes of that event, in this case contempt for a peace deal that were forced upon the Ukrainians is not evidence that the US/CIA organized ousting the legal president of Ukraine.
I don’t intend to get into a protracted conversation with you. My point is that if the US had not supported the coup organizers, the State Department would have unambiguously said that it didn’t support them; certainly wouldn’t have sent them military aid; and would have mobilized support to remove them.
No they would have done this if the goals that these people were pursuing were against the interests of the US – that a country does not state that they do not support a certain political movement in an other country does not mean that they fermented it let alone that they created it, and to be certain the idea that they have to work against it to avoid guilt by association is absurd.
You do not need to get into a protracted conversation – because what you state here is would make even the Indian government guilty of having organized the ousting of the Ukrainian government in 2014 – that is how low the level of ‘guilt by association’ you have just formulated here.
Give it up. You’re not deceiving anybody on this site.
No wonder as I’m not trying – just asking if any of you had any actual evidence for the remarkable assertions you make.
I hit the down button by mistake, pardon me…
Don’t worry! I always read your posts, Donna!
Z is the mouthpiece of the U.S., U.K., NATO gang. He is no more in charge than I am. We have to remember what happened in April.
Not everyone can play such a role. They picked up a very good clown.
Ukraine is not democratic and was going to agree in April until Boris Johnson told them no.
i think that he was being sarcastic when he said “democratic”
How do you know this? Did Boris or Zelensky tell you that?
It’s a FACT what Boris told Zelensky but you just ignore reality.
Every person I’ve heard has been talking about what is going to happen when the muddy season ends and the ground freezes over. Yet Milley is blathering about the Russians digging in for the winter. WTF?
I suspect Milley may be right, although I expect the Russian dig-in to be along a defensible line of control/ceasefire encompassing LPR, DPR, and a land corridor connecting them to Crimea (with Russian troops elsewhere in Kherson and Zaporizhia oblasts falling back on that line of control).
As the Russian forces learned in the waning days of last winter, “infantry supported by armor” is no longer a working offensive tactic. Man-portable anti-tank weapons have become good enough to change that equation over the last 30 years .
Back when I was in a Marine Corps weapons company, our anti-tank platoon used the Dragon (I was a mortarman, and only fired the Dragon, with a “practice” round, once, but watched it many times). It was a slow, wire-guided rocket that left a lovely cloud of red smoke when fired so that the gunners could be eliminated while they sat there trying to keep their rockets on track.
The Javelin is fire-and-forget, can be set to a “top-attack” mode to hit tanks where they’re most vulnerable, and doesn’t leave as much of a gunner signature for opponents to aim in on.
Will frozen ground give tanks more mobility? Yes. They can move around and get destroyed all day long. What they probably can’t do is change the outcome of this war.
My thoughts too. I believe that there will be much use of drones, with satellite guidance to clean out formations. Securing areas requires ground troops.
And just as in the case of the tanks, much more effective defenses against drones will be developed. That, in turn, will stimulate the development and production of drones which escape the new defense system, which…ad infinitum.
Most likely both development and production will be done by a single group of collaborating companies.
That trick to inflate profits was first explored by Krupp in the 19th century.
Perhaps Milley actually knows more about warfare than “people you’ve been hearing.”
The infantry at the frontline has to dig in always if not moving.
It is a question of how long the Russians need in order to benefit from their mobilization.
Milley might well have insider knowledge and expertise to interpret it.
However, the American military tends to see things in the way it would act and it would need. The Russians have some built-in deliberate differences, tending toward less training and prep but more mass, accepting the costs.
This period of Ukraine’s advance into empty space has been Russia’s time to mobilize. How much more do they really need? The US would need until after the Spring mud dries in early Summer.
The future can never be predicted – except by history. Milley’s comparison with WWI should be a warning: that this is WWIII.
https://patternofhistory.wordpress.com/
“When there’s an opportunity to negotiate when peace can be achieved, seize it,” Milley told the Economic Club of New York. “Seize the moment.”
Where was he in March of this year?
What were putin’s demand for negotiations back them?
Have you bothered researching that?
What??? There wasn’t a demand for negotiations, there was negotiations. That is until Ukraine was told not to negotiate, and the deal fell through.
GTFOH with your repeated crap
On 3 March, the second round of peace talks began. Both sides agreed to open humanitarian corridors for evacuating civilians. Russia’s demands were Ukraine’s recognition of Russian-occupied Crimea, independence for separatist-controlled Luhansk and Donetsk, and “de-militarisation” and “de-Nazification.’
Dont you know Putin is a “thug”? Yet, you think they are just going to negotiate in good faith nd let Ukraine be a free country. You are not naive, you are just sticking to your model at all cost.
The only repeated crap around here is what pours out of your mouth every time you open it.
“A major factor in the failed negotiated settlement was pressure from the West. According to a report from Ukrainska Pravda, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop negotiating with Russia when he visited Kyiv on April 9.”
“Johnson appeared to confirm the Ukrainska Pravda report when he told French President Emmanuel Macron in May that he “urged” Ukraine not to negotiate during his visit to Kyiv.”
https://news.antiwar.com/2022/08/31/report-russia-ukraine-tentatively-agreed-on-peace-deal-in-april/#:~:text=The%20tentative%20deal%20was%20the%20result%20of%20in-person,failed%20negotiated%20settlement%2
Great source with a lot of “according with…? Proof.
Zelensky didn’t need to be pressured. He knew it was not a going to be an acceptable deal. I would’ve pressured him too.
I picked antiwar.com as a source since that is where this discussion is taking place. But I could have picked multiple sources. But now you’re just ignoring facts to fit your narrative. And if you don’t trust antiwar.com as a source, what the f*ck are you doing here?
I unblocked you to see what crap your are belching this time. Oh well, back to blocked.
In another article, from the Libertarian, we are sending Avenger surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine. That changes the dynamics, along with giving Ukraine long range missiles that can reach inside Russia. That’s negotiation foundation? This lull is nothing but the opportunity for the MIC to ship ever more lethal weapons to Ukraine.
The negotiations don’t mean the indispensable lull. It is very much unlikely, Russian side would agree to a lull.
Yes, why would they when NATO would seize the opportunity to rearm to the hilt.
That is the only reason why Americans could be interested in a ceasefire. The real peace agreements are impossible as long as Americans believe in the military victory. Or else, if the escalation of the war would start to threaten American towns.
Those are just Stinger MANPADS on a HUMMER. If Stinger missiles were a miracle weapon, they’d already have performed that miracle.
The main purpose in giving Avenger systems to Ukraine is probably to justify replacing outgoing inventory with the modernized version, which can also launch Hellfire and Sidewinder missiles and includes a directed energy weapon.
I’ve often suspect that MOST US wars are all about exhausting inventory to justify new purchases.
Most US wars would land the Commander in Chief in the dock in the Hague in a sane world. But this is a world of primates who haven’t matured in over 5000 years.
welcome to the New American Century
Sticks and Stones and nuclear weapons….
Hope he has life insurance.
trump nominated Gen. Milley who was then confirmed by the senate as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. later trump had a fit because Milley refused to go along with his coup and attempted kidnapping of VP pence. now we are seeing Milley might be the only one to suggest peace talks between russia and ukraine.
i have an idea = if uncle sam actually wanted that peace then he would simply stop propping up ukraine’s military. the war would cease within a month.
Milley insinuating that negotiations could possibly take place while Amerikkka is continuing to send missiles to ZelBoy?
Is there something a little hinky about this picture?
Everyone seems to assume that Amerikka continuing to send missiles, etc. to Zelenskyy is the only reason the Russians haven’t won the war — therefore, no missiles, etc., no negotaitions.
Everyone is too many.
Or the opposite, Russia just wanted to negotiate, and Ukraine won’t unless ordered by NATO.
Now that’s silly. First, everyone is someone you made up. Most here are aware of the massive amount of weaponry, support, in country tactical information and advice, battlefield tactical and strategic directions and communications.
Christ, the Russians are fighting NATO. In a modern war, troops take second place as place holders. They occupy territory taken via modern weaponry. They do not by themselves take anything. That’s for the movies.
Now that’s silly. First, everyone is someone you made up. Most here are aware of the massive amount of weaponry, support, in country tactical information and advice, battlefield tactical and strategic directions and communications.
Christ, the Russians are fighting NATO. In a modern war, troops take second place as place holders. They occupy territory taken via modern weaponry. They do not by themselves take anything. That’s for the movies.
Everything, except tactical nukes, and I am not sure we haven’t already.
There is no harm in a negotiation.
Milley knows that Ukraine is edging toward collapse. He knows the EU is on the edge, and NATO at its limits. He knows this is as good as it is going to get.
The lightweights around Biden deny that reality. They dream of nonsense. They ignore huge problems. Some of them are such lightweights that they really don’t know.
Milley is pipe dreaming.
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/pink-flamingo-us-military-will-pay-its-munition-shortage-205777
Pink Flamingo: The U.S. Military Will Pay for Its Munition Shortage
I would say that milley needs to update his resume for some board position on one of the war profiteers; however, his marketability surely has gone down now that he is speaking for “peace” or “negotiations”, whatever those two terms mean.
The business of america is war! In the unlikely event that the killing, the bombing, the attacks by ukie cannon fodder is stopped, the war profiteers will need to find and expand another killing ground.
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/pink-flamingo-us-military-will-pay-its-munition-shortage-205777
Pink Flamingo: The U.S. Military Will Pay for Its Munition Shortage
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/south-korea-defensive-after-secret-deal-supply-munitions-ukraine-exposed
South Korea On Defensive After Secret Deal To Supply Munitions For Ukraine Exposed
I find it difficult to believe South Korea has even 10,000 artillery shells.
“‘Seize the Moment’: Gen. Milley Sees Opportunity for Peace Talks Between Russia and Ukraine Other US officials are reportedly at odds with Milley over his stance on negotiations”
Department of State should be in charge of diplomacy and Department of Defense should be in charge of military strategy.
When a nation has no leader government roles can become blurred. Currently there is no American President.
“Hail to the chief, he’s the one we all say hail to, hail to the chief, cause he keeps himself so clean… He’s got the power that’s why he’s in the shower…”
https://ria.ru/20221112/ukraina-1830585574.html
It’s not funny anymore. What Zelensky is turning Ukraine into
I have gained an iota of respect for Milley for standing up to Biden’s neocons. Of course his actions and rhetoric helped get us in to this brutal proxy war but any talk of peace now is bold amidst the war fever gripping America.