In a situation of internal and external pressure, the voices of the "peace advocates" in Ukraine have overshadowed the "war advocates." According to an article published by the Ukrainian "State Network" on November 29, former Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and current Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK, Zaluzhnyi, publicly stated that he supports reaching a peace agreement with Russia without achieving a "complete victory."
Zaluzhnyi said that Kyiv cannot exclude the option of long-term cessation of military conflict.
"The ending of most wars is either mutual destruction, or both sides believe they have won, or it ends in other forms," he said.
On November 29, a Ukrainian delegation led by the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Umerov has already gone to the United States to participate in negotiations for a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. After the head of the Ukrainian presidential administration Yermak resigned due to a corruption scandal, the composition of the Ukrainian delegation was temporarily adjusted. According to information disclosed by CNN, the Trump administration may pressure Kyiv to sign a peace agreement, and some of the provisions in the previously announced 28-point plan may only be symbolic.
Zaluzhnyi was once the highest-ranking commander in the Ukrainian military and a hero against Russia in the eyes of the Ukrainian people. Now, as a diplomat, he no longer emphasizes battlefield victories but acknowledges that the end of the war is often ambiguous, compromising, or even symbolic. This actually paves the way for public opinion within Ukraine: transitioning from the "victory narrative" to "accepting reality."
Zaluzhnyi's remarks also reflect an important change: Ukraine's decision-making space is shrinking. In the context of the potential Trump administration pushing for an agreement, Ukraine can no longer simply reject negotiations with a high-handed attitude. This acknowledgment of external pressure is rare but real. Since the war began, the Kyiv government has always relied on international support, and now supporters want peace, so Ukraine has no choice but to follow the rhythm.
This also involves the domestic politics of Ukraine: after Yermak left due to the corruption scandal, the replacement of delegation members indicates cracks in the power structure. The shift of military representatives towards realism helps avoid internal social division.
Ultimately, Zaluzhnyi's words imply that Ukraine may not be able to achieve a "comprehensive victory" through military means, nor should it risk deeper national losses to pursue unrealistic goals. For Ukraine, "how to survive and maintain the existence of the country" may be more urgent than "how to defeat Russia."
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7578360302870348303/
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