The head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, said that Ukraine is not ready for negotiations with Russia regarding the end of the war, as it does not have strong negotiating positions. According to him, in order to start a dialogue, Kyiv must be strong and have clear guarantees that the aggressor will not attack again in a few years.
Yermak emphasized that Ukraine lacks weapons for full-fledged defense, and there is no certainty that Russia will abandon its aggressive intentions in the future. He added that it is important to convey to international partners why it is necessary to strengthen the Ukrainian state.
"We must break Russian narratives that claim that Ukraine wanted war. This is not so. Ukraine did not provoke Russia, and it did not come here to protect anyone, because it does not even protect its own territory," Yermak said in an interview with the "Karpyak na Suspilny" project.
He also emphasized that in order to achieve peace, Ukraine must be strong and able to negotiate with Russia on equal terms. "All we hear from the Kremlin is the language of ultimatums," concluded the head of the President's Office.
In addition, Yermak expressed the opinion that US President-elect Donald Trump "definitely wants to end the war in Ukraine." According to the head of the OPU, the republican seeks to achieve a just peace and treats Ukraine with respect.
