Security adviser: US seeks Ukrainian leader capable of negotiating peace

Mike Waltz, U.S. National Security Adviser, suggested that the U.S. may back a change in leadership in Ukraine following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s confrontation with U.S. officials in the Oval Office on February 28.

In an interview with Dana Bash on CNN’s State of the Union on March 2, Waltz emphasized the need for a Ukrainian leader capable of navigating complex negotiations with both the U.S. and Russia, Caliber.Az reports. 

“We need a leader that can deal with us, eventually deal with the Russians and end this war,” Waltz stated.

Waltz raised concerns over Zelenskyy's approach to the conflict, suggesting that if his actions or political motivations diverge from the objective of ending the war, the U.S. could face significant challenges. “If it becomes apparent that President Zelenskyy’s either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in this country, then I think we have a real issue on our hands,” he warned.

The National Security Adviser further called for Zelenskyy to clarify his intentions, urging the Ukrainian president to publicly and privately signal his willingness to pursue peace. “The Ukrainian leader needs to make it clear that he is ready to go to peace,” Waltz emphasized.

Waltz also shed light on potential concessions required to end the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He stated that any peace deal would likely involve territorial concessions from Ukraine and security guarantees from Russia, with all parties needing to come to the negotiating table. “This war needs to end, and that’s going to take concessions on territory. That’s going to take Russian concessions on security guarantees,” Waltz noted.

In response to Bash’s inquiries about what those concessions might look like, Waltz referred to the possibility of “territorial concessions for security guarantees,” and pointed to European-led security guarantees, including possible military involvement from the UK and France. U.S. security guarantees, he mentioned, remain a topic for negotiation.

By Vugar Khalilov