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Russia keeps the eastern half of Ukraine: ‘Hope’ emerges for ceasefire in Russian conflict
Today there is a “glimmer of a hope” for a ceasefire in Russia’s war in eastern Europe only because of Ukraine’s “fierce resistance” that has made its national survival possible, according to The Australian’s Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan. “Two things have happened today: Volodymyr Zelensky has said now that Ukraine won’t join NATO, and understands that, and he believes his people accept that, and Putin has said to the Finnish prime minister that he doesn’t see regime change in Kyiv as a red line for Russia,” he told Sky News Australia. “I think that gives us the basis of a deal in which Russia keeps the eastern half of Ukraine that it has conquered, and it’s a terrible thing that Russia gets that, but there’s no prospect that Russia is going to just kind of say it got everything wrong and withdraw its troops. “In exchange, Ukraine promises never to join NATO – NATO probably ratifies that promise. “And you get half of western Ukraine remaining as an independent nation.” Mr Sheridan’s remarks come as the Russian invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth week. “This is the most significant political move that we’ve seen,” he said. “It’s only their fierce resistance that has made their national survival possible; at the same time, it’s a very big strategic gain for Vladimir Putin, but it does give him an off-ramp – he can stop the killing now. “There’d be a million things to still to negotiate about that. “It just gives us the glimmer of a hope that there might be a ceasefire in the works.”
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