Ex-NATO commander anticipates how Ukraine war will end
Date
11/11/2024 7:43:29 AM
(MENAFN) James Stavridis, a retired NATO commander, has forecasted that the Ukraine conflict will likely conclude with Russia maintaining control of around 20% of Ukraine’s territory, a situation that both sides will find difficult to accept but could form the basis for a negotiated settlement. In an interview with CNN, Stavridis discussed the potential outcome, noting that while Russia’s territorial gains would be contentious for Ukraine, the country might still gain EU membership in the future, which would be a significant concession for the West.
Stavridis also expressed support for President-elect Donald Trump's claim that he could end the war within 24 hours, though without offering specific details on how this might happen. He believes Trump could push both Russia and Ukraine toward negotiations, with a possible pathway for Ukraine to join NATO within three to five years.
The former NATO commander suggested that the eventual resolution could involve a demilitarized zone between Russian and Ukrainian forces, likely monitored by NATO troops, though not American soldiers. The settlement would not be one that the U.S. could impose, but rather an agreement between Ukraine and Russia.
The conflict, which escalated in 2022, centers around Ukraine's territorial integrity and its desire to join NATO, something Russia views as a major security threat. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to continue the fight until Ukraine regains all territories lost since 2014, including Crimea and the separatist-held regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. However, Russia insists that these regions are now part of its "territorial reality" and will never return to Ukrainian control.
In a related development, U.S. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance has suggested that a potential resolution could involve freezing the front lines, with Ukraine having to relinquish its claims to these disputed territories and its NATO ambitions.
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