Former Polish ambassador warns: Ceasefire may sideline Ukraine
The former Polish ambassador to Kyiv warns of the consequences of an international ceasefire, which might benefit major powers at the expense of medium and small countries. In an interview with "Rzeczpospolita," he also commented on the lingering impact of a conversation between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. "I would caution everyone interested in convincing the parties in conflict to agree to a ceasefire, not to dismiss in advance the Euro-Atlantic perspective for Ukraine," he said.
The echoes of the conversation continue to resonate, with the goal—as representatives of the U.S. administration point out—being to achieve peace between Russia and Ukraine. Donald Trump is accused of extending a hand to a war criminal, namely Putin, and inviting him to negotiations on "equal footing."
Although Ukraine's official stance is that Russia should return all lands annexed since 2014, there is a growing awareness in the country that this might not succeed.
Bartosz Cichocki, the former Polish ambassador to Kyiv, told "Rzeczpospolita" that among Ukrainian decision-makers, there is skepticism about ending the war on terms ideal for Kyiv.
A realistic vision of Ukrainian decision-makers
"Among my interlocutors in Kyiv are people who were recently involved in the decision-making process—these are people with their feet firmly on the ground. They understand that the return of Ukraine to the borders of 1991 is unlikely today, as is membership in NATO or even the European Union," he pointed out.
"Of course, public statements in such a tone would be politically very costly, especially if the leaders have nothing to offer voters in return, such as security guarantees from Western powers," added Cichocki.
Cichocki emphasizes that to avoid the political costs arising from this realistic approach, the leaders in Ukraine would have to provide citizens with other benefits, such as security guarantees from Western powers.
Such safeguards could mitigate the negative political effects associated with the lack of progress on issues that have long been important to Ukraine and its citizens.
"I would caution everyone interested in convincing the parties in conflict to agree to a ceasefire, not to dismiss in advance the Euro-Atlantic perspective for Ukraine or to shirk co-responsibility for guaranteeing its security. Even if there is a weak point in this mechanism," concluded the former ambassador.
