Immediate ceasefire in Ukraine would play into Russia’s hands, Washington says
Antony Blinken (Photo:Stefani Reynolds/Pool via REUTERS)
At the current stage of the war in Ukraine, a ceasefire would enable Russia to gain a foothold in occupied Ukrainian territories and prepare for a new attack, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the Summit for Democracy 2023 on March 28.
“I think we should all be aware and watch out for what looks like well-intentioned efforts, like calls for a ceasefire, but in reality, can freeze the conflict, allowing Russia to consolidate its gains, just buy time to rest, resupply, and attack again”, Blinken said.
The secretary added that peace between Ukraine and Russia must be just and lasting, "otherwise it’s ultimately for naught."
He stressed that oft-proposed "ceasefires" would give Russia a chance to gain a foothold in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories and "use the time to rest and refit, and then re-attack" Ukraine.
“What looks attractive on the surface – who doesn’t want the guns silenced? – can turn out to be a very cynical trap that we have to be very, very careful about,” Blinken concluded.
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