West risks trading Ukrainian peace for fleeting ceasefire
There is a risk that the West might settle for a ceasefire with Russia that does not equate to peace, but instead to Ukraine's capitulation, according to Polish Gen. Roman Polko, who warns against such an outcome.
Recently, there has been an increase in tensions between Russia and the West. This follows President Joe Biden's decision to permit the use of American ATACMS missiles by Ukraine to target locations within Russia. In retaliation, Moscow launched a new intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine.
On Friday evening, Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would continue testing the missile, which was launched on November 21 and is named the Oriesznik rocket.
The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for over a thousand days, and the situation on the front is unfavourable for Kyiv. Consequently, the topic of negotiations to end the hostilities is increasingly being revisited.
The General warns, "This will mean Ukraine's capitulation"
Polish Gen. Waldemar Skrzypczak, former Land Forces commander, expressed that it seems we are nearing the end of this war because there is a general inclination towards ending these actions. This is why we see significant efforts by Putin to seize as much Ukrainian land as possible before the fighting ceases, he stated in a conversation with "Super Express".
Gen. Roman Polko, former GROM commander, shares a similar perspective. He sees two likely scenarios. - The West might sign a so-called truce with Russia, which will merely amount to a ceasefire, not real peace, and would signify Ukraine's capitulation - he warned.
Ukraine could be demilitarized and stripped of its potential to join NATO. It would merely be a matter of time before Putin rebuilds his capabilities and strikes again, he indicated.
Gen. Polko also highlighted a second possibility. - The West might overcome its fear of Russia and provide Ukraine with enough support to secure a strong negotiating position, maintaining its autonomy and obtaining security guarantees when the war ends - he told the newspaper.
