Kiev expresses anger over US general's proposal for peace with Moscow

Ukraine has vented its anger on a top US general for proposing peace with Russia.

US Army General Mark Milley, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Wednesday that Russia’s pullout of its military troops from Kherson, a regional capital in southern Ukraine, and a potential stalemate in fighting over the winter had provided a good opportunity to negotiate peace. Milley said there is “an opportunity here, a window of opportunity for negotiation."

“When there’s an opportunity to negotiate when peace can be achieved, seize it,” he said to the Kiev officials.

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However, for peace negotiations to have a chance, both Russia and Ukraine would have to reach a "mutual recognition" that a definite victory "is maybe not achievable through military means, and therefore you need to turn to other means," Milley said, citing the end of World War I as an example and reflecting the concerns of top officials in Washington who are beginning to wonder aloud how much more territory can be won by either side and at what cost.

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In reaction to the calls for peace with Russia, media reports said on Tuesday that Milley's comments had evoked anger among Ukrainian officials.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who insists that Russia will not reach its objective in Ukraine, set out the conditions for any negotiations between Kiev and Moscow which included the re-occupation by Kiev of all of the liberated lands, the provision of compensation by Russia and the prosecution of Russian leaders for alleged war crimes. Zelensky also signed a decree in October, banning any negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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In the meantime, Russia has repeatedly stated that it would not rule out peace negotiations with Ukraine; however, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov pointed out that bilateral negotiations between Moscow and Kiev were unlikely to succeed, as any agreement between the two sides alone would be “instantly canceled upon orders” from the West.

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Russia commenced what it described as a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24 with its declared aim of “de-Nazifying” the country. The West responded by supplying Kiev with huge funds and large caches of weapons while slapping economic sanctions on Moscow. The Kremlin says the West's sanctions and pouring of advanced weapons into Ukraine will not bring peace to the region and only prolong the war.

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