Ukraine Stands Firm: Army Size Not Up for Negotiation
Ukraine has told the U.S. that any restrictions on the size or readiness of its armed forces would be a red line in talks to end the war, The Gaze reports, citing Reuters.
Russia had earlier proposed cuts to Ukraine’s military and NATO non-membership as conditions for peace.
“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, Deputy Head of the President’s Office.
He stressed that a capable military is Ukraine’s best guarantee against future Russian aggression.
“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,” he added.
At initial U.S.-led talks in Saudi Arabia, Ukraine accepted an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, after which U.S. aid and intelligence sharing resumed. However, Russia insisted that more conditions must be met before agreeing.
Both sides had agreed to stop attacks on energy infrastructure but later accused each other of violations. Ukraine says it provided the U.S. with evidence of Russian strikes and is respecting the deal.
Palisa also highlighted the need for Western security guarantees and noted that while the U.S. hasn’t committed, some European countries discussed forming a “coalition of the willing.”
He warned of intensified Russian attacks in the coming weeks and said Ukraine continues to invest in air defenses, with several nations agreeing to provide licenses and technical documentation for equipment production.
As The Gaze previously reported, on 11-12 April, the Ukrainian delegation will hold technical consultations in Washington with the administration of President Donald Trump on an agreement on access to minerals.
Read more on The Gaze: Russia Intensifies Attacks on Ukraine Despite Peace Pledge