As reported by the Guardian.
At the Warsaw Security Forum, U.S. special envoy Kit Kellogg spoke about the war in Ukraine and Putin’s role in it. According to him, Russia will not win this war, even if that was the initial expectation.
Key Points of the Speech and Context
«Deep down, Putin understands that he cannot win this. It would be a losing fight for him in the long run. It won’t happen.»
During discussions of incidents with Russian aircraft over Europe, he noted that the response could seem stern, in particular due to the use of heightened measures. He cited the 2015 incident when a Russian plane entered Turkish airspace, and Turkey shot it down.
«The path to achieving this, similar to what Ukraine is doing now, is to make it almost cost-prohibitive.»
Kellogg also noted that the response to such threats should be based on a real understanding of military logic: «if a higher level of risk is needed, it should be applied as circumstances require».
«We are working to ensure that people do not buy oil through secondary sanctions… on buying their oil. Unfortunately, some in Europe still buy it.»
Also discussed were the economic aspects of Russian policy: «Russia is a petrostate, and if you deprive it of its petrodollars, serious problems lie ahead.»
«Russia is an oil-and-gas state; if you strip away its oil dollars, it will face serious problems.»
He also stressed that Putin’s calculations focus on the level of pain he is willing to endure, and the frontline problems of the Russian army grow as front-line positions change.
«I think Putin’s calculations revolve around the level of pain he is willing to endure.»
In conclusion, he noted: «We do not need to draw any additional red lines. He has the problem, not the West, and it is he who must make this click, not the West. The West stands in lockstep in supporting this.» – The West remains the sole supporter of its allies under the circumstances.
«We do not need to draw any additional red lines. He has the problem, not the West, and it is he who must make this click, not the West. The West stands in lockstep in supporting this.»
In summary, Kellogg emphasized: «The most important thing we aim to do is to stop the largest ground war in Europe since World War II».
«The most important thing we want to do is to stop the largest ground war in Europe since World War II.»
Along with these Warsaw notes, the United States sees close coordination with the EU and the Baltic states as an important channel of communication with Moscow, and emphasizes energy-flow controls as part of its sanctions policy.
Don’t miss other news:
- US special envoy Kit Kellogg revealed Trump authorized Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russia, with Pentagon sometimes withholding permission, highlighting ongoing debates on military aid and regional security.
- Alexey Shubin, a former restaurant worker from Sevastopol, now serves in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, dreaming of returning home after victory and embodying patriotism and resilience.
- Russia officially denounces the European Convention against Torture, ending international monitoring of its penitentiary system and raising human rights concerns.
