“The diplomatic process will be effective only when Russia realises that continuing the war is futile. Today, the most effective diplomats are Ukrainian soldiers and our long-range strikes, as well as the sanctions and pressure applied by the civilised world. Our joint, overwhelmingly powerful and concentrated strike – in the broadest sense of the word – has every chance of delivering results. By contrast, aid that is limited and spread out over time offers far fewer chances of success, yet will certainly cost us all many times more”.
This was emphasised by Rostyslav Ogryzko, Deputy State Secretary of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, during the 5th Ukraine–France Forum.
In his address, he explained why peace negotiations must be accompanied by sustained pressure on Russia, and why international support for Ukraine must be timely and sufficient.
Key takeaways from his speech:
- Lasting peace is impossible without restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Recognising occupied territories as a gift to the aggressor risks legitimising violations of international law. Russia must be held accountable for its aggression and compensate for the damage caused.
- Diplomacy must be backed by real pressure on Russia. Previous negotiation formats have failed to bring an end to Russian aggression. The diplomatic process will be effective only when Russia sees that continuing the war offers no prospects.
- Support for Ukraine must be consistent and coordinated. Military assistance, long-range capabilities and sanctions imposed by Ukraine’s partners can limit Russia’s ability to continue the war. At the same time, support that is limited or spread out over time reduces the chances of success and increases the cost of the confrontation.
- Europe must act together. Russia seeks to divide European countries. It is therefore important not only to coordinate positions, but also to respond to Russian actions with concrete decisions.
- France remains an important partner for Ukraine. Continued support for Ukraine, unity among European partners and a readiness to act decisively are crucial for shared security and countering Russian aggression.
Rostyslav Ogryzko stressed that diplomacy can help bring the war to an end, but only if Russia loses the ability to achieve its goals by force. This requires joint action by Ukraine and its partners, sustained pressure on the aggressor and support sufficient to achieve results.
Watch the full recording of the speech in Ukrainian: https://cutt.ly/wymCcq0Y
The Forum is organized with the support of the French Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs. For this event, the New Europe Center is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation.
