U.S. not conducting backstage negotiations with Russia on peace in Ukraine - White House
The United States is not conducting backstage negotiations with Russia on peace in Ukraine and will continue to adhere to the principle of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine."
This was stated by Michael Carpenter, Senior Director for European Affairs at the US National Security Council, Censor.NET reports citing Voice of America.
On negotiations with Russia
"When you say the U.S. is involved in this activity, I assume you mean negotiations with Russia, and the answer to that is no," Carpenter said when asked about the alleged lack of actual backroom talks or negotiations with Russia and potential U.S. involvement in such activities.
"And at the end of the day, we will support Ukraine until they decide that the time is right to negotiate with Russia. As we have been saying throughout this war, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine is our motto, and we will continue to stick to that," he added.
Commenting on Putin's proposed plan to achieve peace in Ukraine, according to which, in order to start negotiations, Ukraine must cede significant territories in the east and south, as well as abandon its ambitions to join NATO, Carpenter once again emphasized the American position that such a vision does not imply negotiations, but rather surrender.
"This is not negotiation, this is surrender. In fact, it's quite clear what it is: an imperialist land seizure, as many participants of the conference in Switzerland noted," he said. "Ukraine is defending the international order against this kind of predation."
On the use of American weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation
Answering journalists' questions, the official once again clarified the parameters of the US authorization to use US weapons to strike targets in Russia, which borders the Kharkiv and Sumy regions.
"We've been very clear that these rules of engagement that allow Ukrainians to fire on Russian positions right across the border in Kharkiv region, but also in Sumy region, are designed to prevent Russia from having a de facto safe zone on its side of the border from which to attack Ukrainian territory and Ukrainian military posts on the Ukrainian side of the border," Carpenter said. - "So that was clear. I think we've been discussing this for quite some time, and it's going to continue."
