Zelensky Open to Territorial Exchange with Russia Amid Shifting US Policy
In a recent exclusive interview with The Guardian, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his openness to negotiating a territorial exchange with Russia as a means to end the ongoing invasion and conflict. Zelensky's comments came during a conversation with Guardian journalist Shaun Walker, where he discussed potential changes in Ukraine's relationship with Russia following the election of a new US President, Donald Trump.
Under the previous administration, President Joe Biden provided unwavering support to Ukraine, which included significant military funding. However, Trump's approach has been more ambiguous from the outset. Zelensky indicated that if Trump were willing to initiate peace negotiations with Russia, he would consider negotiating the exchange of territories.
One of the territories Zelensky mentioned was the part of Russia's Kursk region that has been under Ukrainian control since last August. "We will exchange one territory for another," he stated, although he noted that he is uncertain about what territory occupied by Russia he would request in return. "I don't know, we'll see. All our territories are important; there is no priority," he added.
The dynamics of US support for Ukraine have changed since Trump's election campaign, where he openly stated his opposition to the current policy of unconditional military aid. Trump recently appointed retired General Keith Kellogg as the US envoy for the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Kellogg had previously co-authored an article suggesting that to reach a ceasefire, Ukraine should consider delaying its NATO accession while still receiving military assistance on the condition that it pursues peace negotiations with Russia.
Kellogg's inaugural trip to Ukraine is set for February 20, after attending the Security Conference in Munich, where he may outline a peace plan on behalf of the Trump administration. In recent days, Trump has reiterated his stance on US aid to Ukraine, emphasizing that the United States should receive reciprocal value equivalent to their assistance. He proposed that Ukraine could offer the US assets worth 500 billion in rare earth metals, which are essential for technologies such as microchip production.
Zelensky confirmed that he first presented this idea to Trump during their meeting in New York last September. Looking ahead, the Ukrainian President wishes to provide a more comprehensive proposal for economic opportunities to US businesses interested in investing in Ukraine, particularly in areas such as reconstruction and natural resource extraction.
As the geopolitical landscape continues to shift, the potential for negotiations and exchanges in territories underscores the complex dynamics at play in the Russia-Ukraine war and the role of the US in shaping the future of this conflict.
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