US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that Ukraine must lead efforts to end the war, cautioning against externally imposed peace plans that disregard Ukrainian sovereignty, Politico reports.
“I think any peace plan that attends to essentially impose peace on the people of Ukraine that runs across fundamental principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, democracy, and freedom is not just or sustainable,” Sullivan said at the Yalta European Strategy conference in Kyiv via video.
Various peace initiatives have been proposed since Russia’s 2022 invasion, including efforts by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The return of all territories seized by Russia is only in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plan.
According to the report, other proposals, such as those from China and Brazil, have faced criticism for not consulting Kyiv while engaging with Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands reportedly include Ukraine ceding four regions and demilitarizing without guarantees against future aggression.
The article also highlights recent statements by JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate, outlining a potential peace deal under the Trump administration. Vance’s proposal, which aligns with Putin’s positions, suggests maintaining the current line of demarcation as a demilitarized zone and guaranteeing Ukraine’s neutrality.
Politico reports that Trump reiterated his claim that the invasion would not have occurred under his presidency in a video address to the Kyiv conference.
Russian aggression against Ukraine began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and continued throughout Trump’s term.
Sullivan addressed suggestions of quick external solutions to the war, saying, “Anyone, who steps forward and says they could solve the Ukraine war in one day from the outside, you really have to ask whose side are they going to be solving it on.”
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