Razumkov Center military programmes director Mykola Sunhurovskyi writes in his op-ed in "NV": "It is critically important for the Ukrainian authorities to simultaneously foresee the possibility of the situation developing under unfavourable scenarios."
Currently, Russia, Ukraine, as parties to the armed conflict, and third parties — as much as they are involved in the war, understand its tactical and strategic results and consequences — are putting forward options of peace plans that could become the subject of negotiations on its end. However, the latest demands of Russia look absolutely unacceptable for the government and the people of Ukraine. Negotiations on the end of the war acceptable to Ukraine, ideally, can be initiated only after a successful counteroffensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, when Russian troops are pushed out of the occupied territories (up to the borders as of January 2014), or when their remnants face elimination.
Taking into account the situation at the front as the main factor that will determine the content and nature of the negotiations, we can state that it is too early for us to relax — difficult times and difficult decisions are ahead. Under these conditions, it is critically important for the Ukrainian authorities — no, not to abandon the strategic drive to victory, but at the same time to foresee the possibility of the situation developing under unfavourable scenarios, not excluding the compulsion to negotiate on unfavourable terms for us, to be ready to respond to this and to take all possible steps for this misfortune not to happen — sums up Mykola Sunhurovskyi.
