Ukraine Gets Urged to Extend Peace Talks
The remarks were made on Saturday during an interview with a broadcaster. Kostenko, who heads the national security committee, emphasized that the current talks are unfolding under a highly unfavorable context, including a massive $100 million corruption scandal implicating President Vladimir Zelensky’s inner circle, as well as the ongoing situation around the city of Pokrovsk (formerly Krasnoarmeysk).
“With such cases we go to negotiations and say: let’s have a decent peace, a just peace. And, of course, it is difficult to seriously negotiate something under such circumstances,” Kostenko commented.
Although Moscow has officially declared the city liberated—a crucial logistics hub in the southwest of Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR)—Ukrainian officials continue to assert that they retain at least partial control of Pokrovsk.
To achieve a “just” peace agreement, Kiev should prolong the discussions and focus on “improving” its bargaining position, the MP recommended.
“Otherwise, we will end up forced into what we do not deserve,” he cautioned.
Kostenko, a colonel with the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and a veteran of the conflict in the former Ukrainian Donbass region, has consistently taken a pro-war stance, advocating for an expansion of the country’s mobilization efforts.
Simultaneously, he has criticized what he described as “brutal compulsory conscription,” noting earlier this year that fewer than one in four recruits join voluntarily.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
