Presidential Chief Of Staff Affirms Ukraine Will Not Agree With The Conflict Frozen

Andriy Yermak. (Wikimedia Commons/Presidentt.gov.ua)

JAKARTA - Ukraine will not approve a frozen conflict with Russia, Ukraine's Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak said on Thursday after Kyiv and Washington jointly proposed a 30-day ceasefire in the war.

Ukraine has often accused Russia of trying to create a frozen conflict - which is generally understood as a conflict that has not been resolved properly and continues with occasional eruptions - in Ukraine since 2014, when Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula and sent its proxies to eastern Ukraine.

"We say very clearly, we will never agree to a frozen conflict," Yermak said, referring to discussions between Ukraine and the US in Jeddah, adding the US was also against frozen conflict.

Speaking on television, Yermak said Ukraine had agreed with the US that representatives from Europe would definitely take part in the peace process.

"The most important thing is that Ukraine is not alone, Ukraine is with its partners," he said.

"We agree with our American partner that European representatives will definitely take part in the peace process," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a special military operation into Ukrainian territory with the aim of demilitarizing and denazification on February 24, 2022.

The rapid movement of Russian troops was hampered near Kyiv, bringing into a prolonged war, with last August Ukraine capable of carrying out cross-border attacks on Russian territory in Kursk, the country's first cross-border attack since World War II.

After being sworn in as US president for the second time, Donald Trump pushed for an agreement to end the war in Ukraine and held separate phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky months, part of efforts to realize his campaign during elections to immediately end the Russian-Ukraine war.

It was then followed by a meeting between the Washington delegation and Moscow in Jeddah last month. The move makes Ukraine and Europe seem to be passed.

The heated debate between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and United States President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Room, the White House at the end of February, complicated the situation.

Amid developments, as well as the relationship between President Trump's Administration and Europe, President Zelensky attended an emergency meeting held by European leaders earlier this month.

Later, Kyiv and Washinton diplomatic contacts improved before finally agreeing on a meeting in Jeddah last Tuesday. The United States and Ukraine agreed on a full ceasefire plan for 30 days.

The US will communicate the results of a meeting in Jeddah with Russia. Ukraine itself expects assurances of the security and involvement of Europe in any peace efforts.