KIEV (dpa-AFX) – The Ukrainian commander-in-chief Olexander Syrskyj announced a new offensive against Russia’s troops in an interview parallel to the ongoing negotiations with the USA about a possible end to the war. There have been successes in mobilizing and equipping Ukrainian soldiers, Syrskyj said in an interview with the media portal “LB.ua”. The results are better than seven months ago. Syrskyj therefore assumes that Russia wants to continue to annex the entire Ukraine.
“Therefore, we will carry out offensive operations accordingly,” he said. The strategic defense initiative is necessary because Ukraine cannot achieve victory through defense alone. The aim is to force the enemy Russia to spend even more on personnel, ammunition and weapons.
Russian losses in the fighting are already higher than on the Ukrainian side. Ukraine has managed to further reduce its losses, Syrskyj said. Ukraine has now been defending itself against the Russian war of aggression with Western military aid for almost four years.
Further negotiations with the US side
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj reported further discussions between his chief negotiator Rustem Umjerov in the USA and representatives of President Donald Trump about a possible future post-war order. Work on documents necessary to end the war continues, Zelensky said.
Ukraine once again used the negotiations to draw the US side’s attention to Russian attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure. Particularly in the capital Kiev, the situation remains extremely difficult given the damage, said Zelensky. He again called for more international pressure on Russia to end the war.
Umyerov reported that the Ukrainian delegation met, among others, with US representative Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. It was once again about the reconstruction of Ukraine and security guarantees against future Russian attacks after a possible end to the war. Umjerov did not give any details. The talks should continue in the coming days in Davos at the World Economic Forum./mau/DP/zb