GENEVA, November 28. /TASS/. It’s time for the EU to get real and admit that a continuation of the conflict with Russia is not in Ukraine’s interests, Eric Gujer, editor-in-chief of the Neue Zurcher Zeitung newspaper, writes in an op-ed.
"The time for realism has come. A continuation of the war is not in Ukraine’s interests," he points out, adding: "You have to be honest: while the Europeans are in a huff over not having been consulted on the initial version [of the US place plan], they have no authority to promote their own ideas."
According to the journalist, US President Donald Trump’s plan suggests a way out of the situation where, among other things, Vladimir Zelensky "is too weak to convince his people of the need to make painful concessions." Gujer notes that it would have made sense for Ukraine to live through another winter of hostilities and countless casualties had they been able "to hope to secure a victory or at least significantly improve the situation." "However, this is not the case," the journalist says. "Ukraine can only hope that further fighting will allow it to preserve the military status quo, but even this is too optimistic," he adds.
Earlier, the United States presented a 28-point plan to resolve the Ukraine conflict. The document angered Kiev and its partners in Europe, who sought to significantly refine it. The US and Ukraine held consultations on Washington’s peace plan in Geneva on November 23. According to RBC-Ukraine, the delegations reached consensus on the majority of Washington's proposals but a number of provisions were reserved for discussions at a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Zelensky; no date for it has been set yet. Trump stated on Tuesday that the peace plan had been reduced from 28 points to 22.