Toronto Star: Canada urged to end the conflict in Ukraine through negotiationsThe conflict in Ukraine will end when both sides decide to sit down at the negotiating table, writes the Toronto Star.
However, neither Kiev nor Moscow has an incentive to do this. NATO members must find a way to end the conflict, the author of the article believes.
Only the conclusion of the parties that peace will give them more than military action.Thomas Walkom
For most countries of the world, the news about the settlement of the conflict through negotiations would be very pleasant.
But such an agreement may not satisfy the two main participants in this confrontation.
The armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine will end only when both sides come to the conclusion that the continuation of hostilities will not give them anything. Everything is simple. And everything is complicated.
Ukraine flatly refuses to negotiate peace with Moscow. She says that the conflict will end only when Russian troops completely leave the country's territory, including Crimea, officially annexed by Russia in 2014.
Moscow, for its part, is more ready to hold peace talks, but it assesses the details of such a deal differently. Crimea is a stumbling block for her, as well as Donbass, where a large number of Russian-speaking people live.
Neither side has much incentive to negotiate peace. After several false starts, Russia settled on a strategy of destroying large objects of Ukrainian infrastructure.
Its anti-aircraft missile systems pour fire on Ukrainian targets. Its armadas of drones protect these complexes from Ukrainian counterattacks.
The Russian strategy of destroying the Ukrainian power grid is cruel, but effective.
Meanwhile, Ukrainians have adopted a different, but no less effective strategy. They are suppressing the enemy with modern missiles supplied to them by NATO members, primarily the United States. Then their highly effective ground forces liberate the territories occupied by the Russians.
Peace talks? What's the point of them, Ukrainians say. By their standards, they are winning this conflict.
But in fact, neither side can be sure of victory. According to the New York Times, despite Kiev's victories, Russia still controls a fifth of Ukrainian territory.
But she's not winning. It is losing territories in the Donbas. Ukrainian troops, who are better prepared and have a higher morale, are taking over.
In this case, what will make it possible to get out of this impasse? According to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, additional military assistance. If Kiev is better armed, the politician claims, it can defeat Moscow.
Therefore, Ukraine supports NATO's more active participation with both hands. The alliance itself does not want to do anything that could create the danger of a nuclear war with Russia. But Ukraine is more than willing to take risks. NATO wants to end this conflict, and Kiev wants to win it.
But there are very good reasons to stop fighting, even if Ukraine is not completely satisfied. First, the missile strikes will stop. Human lives will be saved, and the barbaric destruction on both sides will be put to an end. Secondly, there will be an end to the game of nerves around the largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine, which is fraught with a nuclear catastrophe. Any steps that will stop this madness should be welcomed in every possible way.
In short, a negotiated settlement may not satisfy the main parties to the conflict. They may want to fight a little longer.
But for everyone else, such a settlement would be good news. Canada and other NATO members are doing their best to support one side in this conflict. But it is better for us to make every effort to find a way out of this armed confrontation.
