The White House has confirmed that Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor of the United States of America (US) visited Ukraine on November 4, 2022. During a secret visit to Kyiv, Sullivan met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Dechermak. He also met with the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov. While the official aim of the visit was not disclosed, American media reports that Sullivan discussed the details of the next military aid package to Kyiv and that he assured complete support for Ukraine will continue after the November 8, 2022 midterm elections.
Sullivan also confirmed that the US will provide Ukraine with a new 400-million-dollar military aid package, as well as plans to provide Kyiv with economic and humanitarian assistance in the coming months. According to the Pentagon, as part of a new 400-million-dollar military support package for Ukraine, the US would fund the upgrade of 45 T-72 tanks as well as Hawk anti-aircraft missile systems. The plan also includes funding for the purchase of 1,100 Phantom Phoenix tactical aircraft and 40 armored riverboats.[1]
According to the Washington Post, during Sullivan’s visit to Kyiv, he encouraged Ukraine to leave the door open for talks with Russia.[2] In other words, Sullivan is requesting that Zelensky leave the door open to discussion with Russia. According to The Wall Street Journal Sullivan had been in private meetings with Kremlin Foreign Policy Advisor Yuri Ushakov and Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev in recent months. Sullivan stated that the purpose of these negotiations was to prevent the escalation of the war in Ukraine, including Russia’s threat to use nuclear weapons, and to keep the communication channels open between the two countries. Sullivan stressed that the resolution of the dispute was not on the agenda during this visit.[3]
Zelenskyy, who made a statement simultaneously with Sullivan’s visit to Kyiv, said: “If the Russians withdraw from the occupied Ukrainian territory and admit their ‘mistake’ for attacking Ukraine, Ukraine can develop a forum for discussion with Russia. “There is no point in negotiations with Russia, who wants to destroy Ukraine by invading it” he added.[4] A similar statement was made by Mykhailo Podolyak, Advisor to the President of Ukraine, who stated that “more than eight months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian soldiers succeeded in gaining superiority over Russia and effectively destroyed the myths about Russia’s military superiority, and in this environment, there can be no talk of any agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.”[5]
After Russia held referendums in the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia between September 23-27, 2022, and declared these regions its territory, Zelensky signed a “Decree that Ukraine will not negotiate with Russia as long as Putin is in power” on September 30, 2022, prepared by the National Security and Defence Council.[6] In this context, Ukraine legally does not want to negotiate with Russia either.
Russia, on the other hand, claims to be open to discussion with Kyiv and to seek its objectives through diplomatic methods. One of the most crucial reasons for Russia’s willingness to negotiate is that its focus in Ukraine has shifted to defense. In terms of Ukraine and the US, Russia’s military condition indicates that Russia has lost its military dominance in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Army, on the other hand, which claims to have achieved remarkable success against Russia, is preparing for a fresh operation in Kherson. According to Kyiv, any unconditional negotiation with Russia would be seen as a victory for Moscow. For this reason, starting negotiations with Russia, which has been on the defensive in the Ukrainian field, will mean allowing it to become stronger again.
Sullivan’s visit to Kyiv was actually to discuss the conditions that need to be met for them to hold negotiations with Russia. From the point of view of the US, the negotiations with Russia depend on the concessions that the Kremlin can make. In reality, the US committed to equipping Ukraine with 45 tanks armed with offensive weaponry and stated that it would help other nations who wished to supply Ukraine with tanks. Thus, Washington is putting more pressure on Moscow, forcing it to accept its terms.
[1] “Салливан в Киеве: новый пакет военной помощи США”, Euronews, https://ru.euronews.com/2022/11/05/ru-ukraine-new-military-aid, (Date of Accession: 07.11.2022).
[2] Missy Ryan, John Hudson and Paul Sonne, “U.S. Privately Asks Ukraine to Show It’s Open To Negotiate With Russia”, The Wall Street Journal, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/11/05/ukraine-russia-peace-negotiations /, (Date of Accession: 07.11.2022).
[3] “Senior White House Official Involved in Undisclosed Talks with Top Putin Aides”, The Wall Street Journal, https://www.wsj.com/articles/senior-white-house-official-involved-in-undisclosed-talks-with-top-putin-aides-11667768988?mod=hp_lead_pos2, (Date of Accession: 07.11.2022).
[4] “Диалог с Россией возможен, если она отступит и признает свои ужасные ошибки — Зеленский”, NV, https://nv.ua/world/geopolitics/peregovory-ukrainy-i-rossii-zelenskiy-nazval-uslovie-dlya-dialoga-s-rf-poslednie-novosti-50281580.html, (Date of Accession: 07.11.2022).
[5] “Подоляк определил главную задачу Украины в отношении РФ”, Post Factum, https://postfactum.info/politics/podolyak-opredelil-glavnuyu-zadachu-ukrainy-v-otnoshenii-rf-12945.html, (Date of Accession: 07.11.2022).
[6] “Указ Президента України №679/2022”, president.gov.ua, https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/6792022-44249, (Date of Accession: 07.11.2022).
