The pursuit of peace is common sense, not a sign of weakness, and no one in Ukraine will agree to recognize the loss of even a millimeter of Ukrainian territory. This was stated by the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, during the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum on the topic “Darkness or Dawn: Is There Light Ahead?”
Answering a question about whether U.S. President Donald Trump is a strong ally, Budanov described the United States as a strategic ally of Ukraine.
“We consider the United States a strategic ally. I hope they see us the same way,” he said.
According to Budanov, the situation with negotiations between the United States and Iran affects the intensity of talks regarding Ukraine.
“But we are waiting for them (U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner) in Kyiv. This is publicly known information. And I think it will happen,” he added.
At the same time, he believes that the negotiation process, with all its sensitive aspects, should not be made public.
“We are trying to do our job, I believe in it. That is all I will say. The negotiation process and any sensitive aspects of it cannot be disclosed,” the lieutenant general emphasized.
Budanov noted that “the desire for peace is common sense, not a sign of weakness.”
“The conditions for achieving peace can be absolutely different. I believe no one in Ukraine will agree to recognize the loss of even a millimeter of our territory. I am absolutely sure of that. The fact that we have not reached agreement is also publicly known information. But that is what this process is for. It may or may not achieve its goal. That is also a normal situation. We are ready for any development of events. If we are strong, it gives us, so to speak, maneuvering room in this situation. If we are weak, conditions will be dictated to us,” he said.
He is convinced that “no one in the world deals with the weak, and international law does not work here.”
