An aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed Monday that there will be “no compromise” with Moscow to end the fighting in Ukraine and rejected the idea of a ceasefire.
Mykhailo Podolyak said the only “foundation for negotiations” could be Zelensky’s “peace formula,” which calls for a full Russian withdrawal before peace talks can happen.
“There can be no compromise positions such as ‘immediate ceasefires’ and ‘negotiations here and now’ that give Russia time to stay in the occupied territories,” Podolyak wrote on X, formally known as Twitter.
The comments came after a report from The Wall Street Journal suggested Kyiv might be softening its stance on peace talks. The report recapped talks on the war held in Saudi Arabia over the weekend that were attended by officials from 42 countries, including the US, Ukraine, and China.
The report said that at the summit, Ukraine did not “push again for its peace plan to be accepted” and did not “press the point” that all Russian troops must withdraw before peace talks could happen, which is a non-starter for negotiations with Moscow.
But Podolyak reaffirmed that Ukraine is opposed to negotiations. “Only the withdrawal of Russian troops to the 1991 border,” he said. A withdrawal to the 1991 borders would require Russia to leave Crimea, which it has controlled since 2014 and is populated by people who are happy they’re part of the Russian Federation.
Podolyak said there should be no “Minsk 3,” referring to the Minsk 1 and Minsk 2 agreements that were signed in an effort to end the civil war in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region that was sparked following the 2014 US-backed coup in Kyiv. Under the Minsk accords, Kyiv agreed to cede some autonomy to the self-declared republics in the Donbas, and the regions would remain part of Ukraine, but they were never implemented.
The Minsk accords were brokered by France and Germany. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel said last year that the idea of the agreements was to “give Ukraine time” to buildup its military to prepare for a war with Russia. When asked about the comments, former French President François Hollande, who also brokered the Minsk agreements, said Merkel was “right on this point.”
“Since 2014, Ukraine has strengthened its military posture. Indeed, the Ukrainian army was completely different from that of 2014. It was better trained and equipped. It is the merit of the Minsk agreements to have given the Ukrainian army this opportunity,” Hollande said.
Since Zelensky doesn’t want to end the war, it will go on indefinitely. Biden keeps adding fuel to the fire. The meetings to end the war will not end it.
Probably not but Russia will.The rest of the world is watching the economic problems of the US and will draw the proper conclusions.
“War is a matter not so much of arms as of money.”
― Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
“Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.”
― Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
When the money stops; the war stops.
dennis hanna
He did not say ‘no compromise’, this is a such a piece of manipulative switch of meaning, even worse than the Russian propaganda media they link to.
“He did not say ‘no compromise’.”
Yes he did:
“There can be no compromise positions . . .”
“no compromise positions such as” is different from no compromise
In some contexts it might be. In this one it’s a distinction without a difference. You’re pushing a weak argument here. Let’s let it go.
With that attitude it’s going to be the 1990 border.
Ukraine will evaporate like Atlantis.
With the Ukrainian gains it might be the 1917 borders. Hahaha
Free Gonzalo Lira.
I see tactical nukes in our future. The only remaining question will be how far it spreads.
Zelensky is a stupid man best looked at as a comedian. If I were geographically close to 6500 Nukes I would be careful what I said. Expecting the Us to continue pouring money and arms into a losing situation is outright ignorant of the US History in other lands.The Us leadership will sell them down the river the same way that Trump will throw his friends{sic} and supporters under the bus.
President Putin knows clearly that nuclear war will end most life on Earth. He also knows Russia is down-wind from the colonists who want Russian lands. President Xi also knows what brainwashed western people have forgotten. He worries the US will have a tantrum and take the world down with it.
I agree. And they’ll be used as a message. It will either stop the big nuke war from happening or it will start the big nuke war. Either way, Ukraine will be the first victim.
Protesting much? Since Ukraine did not insist on preconditions going into Saudi Arabian gathering — it does mean that position has changed. And since US cannot influence the firmly entrenched opinions by attendees to view the conflict as European problem, not global problem — Saydi Arabia offered a forum to HELP facilitate a solution. Offer their good offices to facilitate peace.
Ukraine is posturing, but iit carries no weight among attending countries. US will in the end decide what is best for its interests.
The BRICS members attended (without Russia). I’m going to say things have changed regarding the world’s view of the SMO.
“only the withdrawal of Russian troops to the 1991 border” – the division of Soviet army between the republics started in second half of 1991. The division of Black Sea navy between Russia and Ukraine was finished in 1997. Russia is internationally recognized as the successor of USSR. Returning of Russian troops to the 1991 border means returning Russian troops to the border between Ukraine and NATO countries. Also it means the returning of Russian navy to Odessa.
Humanity and the planet are at stake here.if the Nukes fly billions will die. If Climate change is not addressed PDQ so will the rest of us.
War is a diversion from very straight forward and easy to understand economic adjustments that reverse catastrophic climate collapse;
• Adjust market prices to include all the unmeasured costs and benefits of every product and service.
• Remove all subsidies for oil and corporatist agriculture.
• Move advertising to free speech with no tax deduction.
Your suggested reforms are good and easy to understand but very difficult to implement. I have yet to see a solution to the problem of capitalism.
That said, the problem of climate change is truly beyond human control; the climate has already passed several ‘tipping points’ toward positive (destabilizing) feedback and now we humans are just along for the ride. And we might as well go ahead and burn up all the fossil fuels because there isn’t that much left of them and it won’t make much difference. In all probability, from current trends, that’s what we will do.
But one good thing: climate chaos and the ensuing world-wide social chaos will bring an end to global capitalism.
I just hope that will not entail nuclear winter.
Implement by social pressure to begin with. Several Latin American countries have seen their modernization attempts short circuited and the percentage of right wing popular support is about 17%. Chile and Bolivia are recent examples.
An electronic constituent assembly with a discussion forum like this one but better designed could provide the means to slowly construct a replacement for ther collapsing US. (Alert! I hold constituent assembly dot org as a public service in case of such an event).
Great comment. Reality is a bitch.
Better to nationalize critical industries and services but that is a no no. Sounds and feels like Socialism and that will not happen.
Well, if industrial production is what causes global warming, nationalizing industries would certainly be a way to reduce it.
You are funny. You also know that industrial production can be factored into necessary and stimulated consumption of plastic fantastics. Industrial agriculture is a third factor that is totally bonko.
China has become an industrial powerhouse to the extent, and only to the extent, that it has abandoned socialism in favor of an ever so slightly freer version of state capitalism.
I read antiwar every morning and next two Chinese websites and one Russian site, plus Venezuela and Greece… Just finished President Xi’;s fourth book. Though I am no expert on anything, my impression is China differs from official US in the caring for humanity. Chinese socialism puts people first.
Americans tend to see what China is in a snapshot and then compare it to an ideal version of the US. China has elevated hundreds of millions from terrible poverty in the last twenty years. Plus, though they were prepared by two or three pandemics before Covid, they skunked the US in health care while we whined about wearing masks to contain our sneezes when we were out of the house and in public places.
My impression is China and Russia would rather be going to the moon than fending off US attacks via proxies.
Unless you’re a Uyghur!
Uyghurs had a population explosion after the Ice age left soggy ground for Grazing, Now it is one of the harshest deserts on Earth. Many shepherding families became impoverished. Some Muslims, not all. decided they could do better as a separate religious country. The US funded a terrorist style war. It is over now and US propaganda decries China for bringing peace and medium prosperity for the people in a land where vast oil fields have been found, US propaganda has very little to do with reality.
Word salad. OK — if that works for you.
Who cares about socialism these days, Thomas?
Senator Bernie Scoundrels, perhaps?
For most definitions of “socialism,” hardly anyone. Bernie’s version of “socialism” is rock-ribbed New Deal / War on Poverty conservatism.
There is a competing race to privatize everything. Everything.
The US professional governing class does not appear to have necessary skills to manage socialized industries and services at this time. Chinese development advisors might be able to help.
What? And have non white peoples having any influence over policy.
Get rid of the oil depletion allowance. Stop paying large farming enterprises to grow less.
This planet was doing great before we arrived , it will do even better when we are finally GONE , probably a alien race will release a viral pathogen into the Atmosphere with a predictable life span .
There is a better chance of aliens doing that if the US goes ahead with its plans to militarize space.
US isn’t in a position to militarize space. I’d be more worried about RF and PRC in that regard. Today US space program is Elon Musk’s space program.
Did you see what happened in Juneau, AK after a big chunk of a glacier broke off? https://apnews.com/article/alaska-flooding-glacier-dam-outburst-juneau-b196999d25e22df8b01d7907735ed5b8
in the words of Sat Nite live,every day there is something. Any new developments[Bill Murray}
CNN finally got a little honest, “staggering” Ukrainian losses in their big push in the South that hasn’t even penetrated the first of many defensive lines, little time left of good fighting weather.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/08/politics/ukraine-counteroffensive-us-briefings/index.html
How many have to die before Z comes to his senses? Many many more I guess, unless the US makes clear there will be no more cash and arms for pointless endless war.
The Russians control less territory in Ukraine then at any time since their invasion. Will Russia have the combat power to reverse these losses? I am not convinced.
And Ukraine has less Ukrainians…
Russia has fewer Russians too. Kind of a race to see who “wins” a depopulated heap of rubble. Looks like a stupid game to me
Yeah that is true but they are doing much better with supporting family values and mothers. We have declining, unsustainable birth rates all over Anglo-American empire and it’s only gonna get worse. Attracting skilled expats (with lies) is the only way US have been able to service national debt and Russia is doing much better in that regard.
Are you kidding? Russia is at 1.5 births per woman. That is a declining population. Now go kill or wound 200,000 men and see what that does to your fertility rate. The USA is at 1.64 so kinda the same boat but we have people who want to move here so can make up shortfalls through immigration.
Who wants to move to US? Even working Mexicans left back in 08-09 when jobs dried up. Nobody who wants to work and pay taxes are coming to US.
And to be honest with you, I’m happy to see so-called “illegals” in US. They don’t pay taxes like other idiots.
Lots of people, Our H1 visa program which is for Hi Tech workers is over subscribed and is a crappy abusive visa. Chinese, Indians, Europeans and Russians.
LOL
Thanks for the laugh. Any Russian who comes to JFK airport and sees that disgusting atrocity in NYC that locals call “Subway”, puke and gets back on the plane home. Nobody is dumb enough to fall victim to Hollywood propaganda anymore. Chinese have far more opportunities at home since their economy is doing better than anyone else. In all industries. Skilled Indians and Americans are moving to Mideast and Russia (IT especially) because there are more opportunities there and Russia is a great place to start a family for young guys. Even Ukrainian refugees who come to US are disgusted by total degeneracy, falling infrastructure, lack of healthcare, technological backwardness and just generally poor economic conditions.
Getting into a war of attrition with a country with ten timed your population – now that’sstupid.
it is apparent that the US has the intent of doing what ever is necessary to keep power where they think it belongs ever if it means taking on the rest of the world.
Yet the more it tightens it’s grip, the world slips through it’s fingers.
Yes, it is.
Now, add up the populations of Ukraine and its backers, and compare them to that of Russia. And while you’re add it, have a look at the respective industrial capacities.
Russia has backers too y’know…
Ukraine’s “backers” don’t seem willing to get directly involved. Ukraine, at its current pace, will have to replace those Ukrainians. So really, it is Ukraine versus Russia. At least body wise.
They don’t have a choice, the war came to them. Russia has a choice and it chose badly in my view. Time will tell
The Uks have a choice.. They can surrender.
I suppose the russians can only rape so many women and eat so much steak
That’s a pretty inane statement, even for you.
And fewer Russians!
If the Ukes sever the land bridge and make it to Melitopol, the Ruskies won’t be able to supply troops for the defense of Crimea. Oh, boy then!
Big “if”… BIG!
Russia was never concerned with controlling all of Ukraine, only the Donbas and Crimea. Where Russia speaking Ukraine CITIZENS live. Z does not care about THOSE citizens.
There will always be cash and arms for a pointless war until the American people rise up and overthrow the Government as Thomas Jefferson said long age.
Once the MIC is done with Ukraine, it will be off to another hapless nation. And another. And another. More “places” as the late Howard Zinn put it.
But first the people have to become anti-war. And I mean all wars. This little echo chamber doesn’t represent how rabidly pro war our population is. Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are all on somebodies list of who we should war with next.
You tankies have to become antiwar first.
This “tankie” wants negotiations. It is team Ukraine that wants a continuance of the destruction of Ukraine.
Russians leave. End of negotiations.
Sounds like a great plan. What’s plan B?
Habla Espanol,es la verdad
First Americans have to care in a different way. Not in terms of how much gas is at the pump, or milk is at the store, but in terms of what is the right way to pursue relations with others on the planet as if they were as worthy as we when it comes to prosperity and a good and decent life.
Now when it comes to Americans, I consider it a real stretch.
When it comes to intelligence and caring about the future most Americans come up short.
Russian leaks say 250,000 Russians dead. (Kinda matches what the Ukrainian MOD has listed.)
How many more Russians have to die before P comes to his senses?
Yeah I wouldn’t get too happy. I bet there is plot to build some ridiculous anti-Russia narrative or could be a desperate attempt to improve their horrendous reputation. Any propaganda need a little bit of facts involved to make lies easier to propagate.
That’s never going to happen. It’s a pipe dream, everybody knows that.
“Zelensky Aide Vows There Will Be ‘No Compromise’ With Moscow”
Outstanding, Russia needs to take Odessa and the remaining Black Sea coast of Ukraine and roll all the way to Lviv.
“Russia needs to do what they’ve been trying and failing to do for 18 months and still shows no signs of being able to do.”
Putin has committed only 20% of his military , he needs to go in all out and finish this American proxy war .
HAHAHAHA. I l love tankie logic! No evidence, mate! You’re just pulling s**t out of your a**!
Better then the s**t that comes out of yours
Thomas, neither you nor I are fully informed on what internal constraints Putin’s government may be operating under when it comes to this entire operation.
Given the apparent size and strength of his forces, one would think it is clear that he should be finishing the Ukrainian offensive off. Yet he isn’t. I suspect there are considerations we do not see.
Yes, there are always considerations we don’t see.
And perhaps it is those unseen considerations, rather than or in addition to the obvious factors, which have caused the Ukraine operation to turn into a fiasco and a quagmire.
We don’t even know who is in charge in the Oval Office.
The office has become an insane asylum in which the inmates are running berserk and are in control. Which one of the inmates is in charge, Nuland? Not Blinken or Sullivan or who knows.
Putin has to consider that issue, who is in control in the MADHOUSE?
Dark Brandon is on the case. (I know that bothers you tankies but he’s the one supporting Ukraine with a large portion of the American government and people.)
In the year or so since Democrats — including numerous politicians and White House staff members — started using it, the “Brandon” meme, which began as an ironic take on an already-ironic meme from the right, has become a triumphant anthem for the Biden campaign.
Just to put you up to date.
Exactly, so far, the US proxy war on Russia is a total fiasco.
The US proxy war on Russia seems to be doing exactly what it was presumably designed to do: Make money for US “defense” contractors, at the expense of Ukrainian lives and American taxpayer funds.
Thanks, Old Guy! We will now have to listen to some more of the “broken record from my drunk Polish neighbor singing about how stupid the Russians are.” I was trying to go for a day without that. Thanks, a lot! (Sarcasm)
They show no sign of duplicating their enemy’s blunders…
Russia isn’t interested in land area or length of coastline as much as it is the height of the mountain of corpses that were once their enemy.
Oh yeah. Anglo-American empire is doing splendidly in this war. Lost Mideast, Lost South America, losing Africa.
How many times have an “aid” to any politician (other than Biden) has had the last word on a thing?
Give me a break, a aid to the comedian shares…who gives a rip what he declares?
Rip is not the word I would use gentle lady.
A aide speaking for a politician at the end does not mean a thing.
Do you actually believe those words will stand or the standard, “those were the words of my aide, not mine” will be uttered by the comedian eventually like all politicians do?
That’s why I do not give a rip what some aide shares.
Does not mean a thing at the end.
They will never push Russia out except in the fever dreams of a few.
Russia is not going to “compromise” with Ukraine either. So, Ukraine will be utterly destroyed and become a Rump State with no access to the Black Sea in due course.
It could not happen to a better type of Fascists
the Lord is coming. and he is not going to be very enthusiastic.
what. sh*t i just thought of something = there are 5 billion people on this planet.
1 billion of us will be disappointed when the Lord shows up but fails to acknowledge us, and the other 4 billion will be disappointed when the Lord shows up but he fails to acknowledge us. oh wait, did i mention what!
Try 8 billion will be closer to the mark .
He’s going to be most disappointed that we’re all wearing crosses: https://youtu.be/pJSZcxXe7IQ
“Zelensky Aide Vows There Will Be ‘No Compromise’ With Moscow…” Hmmm… Something is missing and can’t put my finger on it? Wait!? …No. Shut your mouth. It’s not… Is it, TILL THE LAST UKRAINIAN? (Sarcasm)
At least the expendable Ukrainians.
Zelensky will play hard ball until Washington tells him to play soft ball , the man is a complete DICK leading his people into a unnecessary war that only benefits America .
Agreed, except it really does not benefit America at all, never did, and never will. In fact, it will destroy us.
Perhaps, it benefits Mr. Zelenskyy and his cabal.
dennis hanna
Maybe Zelensky will not get a chance to enjoy his rewards.
The corrupt Ukrainian regime has been flogging off weapons in bulk on the black market, Ukrainian Generals have been making vast amounts of coin flogging these weapons.
Now it looks like surface to air missiles meant for Ukraine are turning up in Niger and the NATO planes are in danger of being shot down by their very own weapons……now that is ironic.
Big thanks to Obama and Biden for making it all possible……Banana Republic comes to mind, its a total circus.
That’s what we do. Sell weapons. Create more enemies. Sell more weapons to fight old friends who are now inconvenient.
e.g. Saddam Hussein, the Mujahadeen, Al Qaeda in Syria, etc. rinse, repeat…
But boy, we sure kicked Grenada’s *ss, didn’t we!
I see no reason why Russia and China wouldn’t supply African freedom fighters with modern weapons if Ukraine fails to do it.
Russia has good relations with the ECOWAS countries as well as Niger etc. Russia will not get involved other than to support all countries with humanitarian aid.
There can be no peace with “Ukraine.”
There could be a peace with a rump of it, perhaps under the western region’s older name, “Ruthenia.” Disarmed, neutral, a puppet of Russia.
Biden and Zelinsky killed it. They provoked and lost a war for its existence.
They might have done killed us too, but we don’t know it yet.
They should put guys like him and Zelensky in uniforms and make them serve on the frontline for as long as it takes.
That goes for all the NATO heads like Stoltenberg and people like Blinken, and Baerbock and most of all Biden, Nuland, and Sullivan and the likes, every one of them should put their money where their mouth is. At gun point get them to the front fighting for freedom and democracy, just as they claim what people are dying for.
Put your a** in an old Russian T-55 and have at it! Hahaha.
Meanwhile, the Ukes will have their Abrams in the fall and we’ll see how that goes.
You should get ready to join the Ukes, they do need your help badly. But do bring your own gun and bullets too, the Ukes are a little short. The supply is on the way, should arrive by fall.
They don’t seem to need much help at all!
https://twitter.com/Tendar/status/1688850072275173376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1688850072275173376%7Ctwgr%5Ed601c17487231c7fa96ee9b04100d5600d345b63%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailykos.com%2Fstories%2F2023%2F8%2F8%2F2185949%2F-More-Russian-stuff-blowing-up-plus-Ukraine-launches-new-attack-across-the-Dnipro-River
Tankie tears taste so sweet…
“Only the withdrawal of Russian troops to the 1991 border,”
I’m fine with that if Anglo-American occupation of Europe does the same. Restore Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Yemen. Removes all terrorist bases from Eurasia.
Remove all 800 bases.
That would be nice but we want to be reasonable. The realism went out the window right after I made that post.
Podolyak said there should be no “Minsk 3,” referring to the Minsk 1 and Minsk 2 agreements
No danger of that. Russia has been burned thrice too often.
Burned by their supposed “partner”,Mr. Trump. He sanctioned Russia, kicked out Russian diplomats, sent weapons to Ukraine, broke two treaties with Russia. He is complicit with the rest of the presidential gang for the mess in Ukraine.
LOL. True. Imagine how much more damage he would have done to Russia, if he wasn’t “Putin’s partner” and Russiagate was not true? (Sarcasm)
All so true. IMHO the neocons controlled Trump the president, but he showed enough integrity to respect Putin the man. He never lowered himself to call President Putin names, the way our current president did. Kudos for Trump on this point.
Regardless of what Merkel said, one point should not be overlooked. The USA NEVER supported the Minsk agreements. The USA always aimed for war against Russia. Merkel and Holland knew it AND the Russians knew it too.
The funding, arming and training the Ukrainian military including NATO military exercises in Ukraine were no secret. Ukraine was a de facto NATO member.
The US starting with Bush and Obama did all they could to use Ukraine as proxy to attack Russia.
Biden/Nuland/Zelensky and all the other scum bags to the front, that is where they belong.
Amen!
the very next day after Russia invaded Ukraine the US authorized $350 million for aid to Ukraine. the very next day. wow it’s almost as if uncle sam knew that Russia was going to invade and they had their check-book out and ready before hand. “just in case” of course.
wanna know who (other than me) doesn’t believe in coincidences?
freakin “Murder She Wrote” gal Angela Langesbury, that’s who.
at some point Americans are going to figure out who is grifting them.
edit = look at who my icon is and look very close at the intentions that he is signaling to you. “Americans”, LOL grow up.
Of course they new they planned it , push Putin into a corner and wait for him to react , the plan worked perfectly because they had a IDIOT to do their dirty work ZELENSKY .
Who then sat down with Russian negotiators to end the war last April, only to be stopped by the U.S. messenger, Boris Johnson. For good measure, we probably whispered in Z’s ear to be a good boy, or else.
By the time Johnson arrived in Kyiv, Lavrov had already pronounced the Ukrainian offer unacceptable.
Yes, you’ve heard it on the Double O LTS network, haven’t you, Thomas?
Actually, I initially heard it from Richard Steven Hack — not noted for being “anti-Russia” or anything of the sort — right here in Antiwar.com comments. After hearing about it, I went and confirmed it via both western MSM and Russian state media (I don’t recall whether it was RT or Tass).
Well, I doubt that any of the RT or Tass reports would contradict the recent statement of Russia’s President to a delegation of African leaders on a mission to Moscow to seek peace in Ukraine to the effect that the kyiv regime signed a peace deal with Moscow earlier on that included significant concessions by both presidents. The agreement was negotiated by the then Prime Minister of Israel. You can find more info on the subject on Consortium dot com, including an article written by Caitlin Johnston if I remember correctly. After Russia completed the first step towards the agreement, which was withdrawal from bandera-kyiv, ukro-nazzis promptly pulled out of it on the advice of our very own Prime Runner Boy Sausage Johnson. May he rot in hell for eternity.
April 7, 2022. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov accuses the West of trying to derail the peace talks, claiming that Ukraine had gone back on previously agreed proposals. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett later states (on February 5, 2023) that the U.S. had blocked the pending Russia-Ukraine peace agreement. When asked if the Western powers blocked the agreement, Bennett answered: “Basically, yes. They blocked it, and I thought they were wrong.” At some point, says Bennett, the West decided “to crush Putin rather than to negotiate.”
I don’t have the link handy. It was from an article here.
Looks like Zelensky has been trained in the way of American negotiating: i.e. You give up everything you have and then we’ll talk.
UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER, the American way as long as other do the dying for it.
That was the choice we gave Japan, before we nuked two cities in Japan. Then we gave Japan the only thing that mattered, Hirohito stay in power. Truman was quite a work.
Revised history tells us, that was the pretense, the real reason was to teach the Russians a lesson. Truman was told the war was over by his generals, he knew.
He has no control. None.
“It’s just a flesh wound” – Monte Python
https://youtu.be/UijhbHvxWrA