CNN reported yesterday afternoon that the U.S. and its allies are placing a renewed emphasis on the need for a negotiated settlement to end the war in Ukraine as the conflict grinds into its 100th day with no clear victory in sight for either side (sic). It claimed, based on the usual anonymous sources, that U.S. officials have in recent weeks been meeting regularly with their British and European counterparts to discuss potential frameworks for a ceasefire and for ending the war through a negotiated settlement. Among the topics has been a four-point framework proposed by Italy late last month. That framework involves Ukraine committing to neutrality with regard to NATO in exchange for some security guarantees, and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia on the future of Crimea and the Donbass region. The Biden Administration, however, is reported not to be supporting the Italian plan.
Ukraine is also reported not to be involved in those discussions, despite the U.S. promise of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” But then, CNN doesn’t ask, why should it be, since Ukraine is nothing more than a proxy for the broader U.S./NATO aggression against Russia.
It’s not clear whether these discussions will translate into eventual settlement talks, CNN reports further. The Biden administration still sees no real prospect for any diplomatic breakthroughs or ceasefires anytime soon and two NATO officials said that the Western alliance sees little appetite to negotiate on the Ukrainian side—in part because Russia’s (alleged) brutal bombing campaign and myriad human rights violations have destroyed public support for any concession to Russia. But apparently the U.S./NATO flood of weapons into Ukraine has no effect—at least CNN doesn’t mention it.
The unnamed officials claimed that Moscow has also shown little interest in serious talks. Right now, Ukraine remains focused on ensuring a decisive military victory (which it can’t get) in the east and the south in order to put themselves in a superior negotiating position, these sources said. “We can propose all the plans we want, but unlikely Kyiv will go for anything that cedes territory at the moment,” according to one official.
