[Vance: Negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine are at a critical moment]
On April 28, US Vice President Vance said, "Negotiations on resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict are at a critical moment... Sometimes pressure needs to be applied, sometimes more friendliness needs to be shown, sometimes rewards need to be promised, and sometimes threats of punishment need to be made, because 'this is a tough daily job, but it is the work that the American people elected the Trump administration to do.'"
He said that there will be times when both the Russians and Ukrainians are disappointed. There may even be thoughts of giving up on negotiations, but President Trump does not want this to happen.
Vance said, "You must understand that this is the nature of negotiation: you have to go back and forth. There will be moments when you want to give up, but President Trump does not allow us to do so. He keeps bringing us back to the negotiating table and keeps looking for ways to solve problems, making both sides reach an agreement. This is the current state of the negotiations."
He said that Russia and Ukraine have different views on how to resolve the conflict peacefully. However, the breakthrough lies in the fact that the United States has "prompted" both sides to engage in dialogue to "stop the war." At the same time, he is not entirely clear what else Washington can do. But now he is more optimistic than before.
Vance concluded, "What one side needs is different from what the other side needs. The task of diplomacy is to try to coordinate both sides. I am not entirely sure what else we can do. However, I believe that we are working very hard. Today, I feel more optimistic than two weeks ago, and two weeks ago we were more optimistic than two months ago."
In the same interview, Vance expressed his belief that a long-term war could lead to population collapse in Ukraine, nuclear strikes, and irreparable losses. "I think there is a strange view in mainstream media that if the war continues for a few more years, the Russians will fail, Ukraine will regain its territory, and everything will return to pre-war conditions. However, this is not the reality we live in."
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830694302871564/
Disclaimer: The article represents the author's personal views only.