"Ready to Seek Peace"
Possibility of Negotiations with Russia Raised... "Recommended by the US as Well"
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Kherson City, which was recaptured after more than eight months since the outbreak of the war, emphasizing that it is "the beginning of the end" and pledging to restore peace. With the recapture of the key strategic point Kherson, the tide of the war has significantly turned in favor of Ukraine, raising expectations for a ceasefire negotiation both inside and outside Ukraine.
On the 14th (local time), President Zelensky visited Kherson City and, in a speech held at the central square of the city, stated, "The recapture of Kherson is the beginning of the end, and we are advancing," adding, "There is still a long and difficult road ahead, but we are ready to regain peace." This statement is interpreted as suggesting the possibility of future peace negotiations as the tide of the war has completely shifted toward Ukraine with the recapture of Kherson, a major strategic point on the southern front.
Previously, Kherson City had been under Russian control for over eight months since it fell to Russian forces in March, shortly after the outbreak of the war. Last month, Russia forcibly annexed the city through a referendum pushed by the Russian government. Kherson is a strategic point connecting the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia forcibly annexed in 2014, and the Donbas region controlled by pro-Russian separatists, making it a site of prolonged clashes between the two armies.
Ukraine has recovered a significant portion of the territory occupied by Russia since the outbreak of the war, having recaptured northern areas such as Chernobyl, Kharkiv, and Izium, as well as Kherson City. Except for the Luhansk and southern Donetsk regions, which Russia had effectively controlled before the war, and the Crimean Peninsula, the occupied areas have been drastically reduced to the eastern part of Kherson Province and the southern part of Zaporizhzhia Province.
Amid rising talks of a possible ceasefire negotiation inside and outside Ukraine, the United States and Europe have publicly maintained a cautious stance on the possibility of a ceasefire. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized at a press conference that day, "It is up to Ukraine to decide what acceptable conditions for negotiations are," adding, "What we must do is continue to support Ukraine so that it is in a favorable position for negotiations."
However, due to the prolonged war and economic issues, the U.S. government, which is finding it increasingly difficult to provide continuous support to Ukraine, is reportedly encouraging Ukraine to pursue a ceasefire. Earlier, the Washington Post (WP) reported on the 5th, citing U.S. government sources, that "the White House urged the Ukrainian government to engage in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin," and conveyed that "many U.S. allies are expressing war fatigue due to soaring food and fuel prices."
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