A ceasefire in the Ukraine war?

Saxony Prime Minister Kretschmer called for negotiations with Putin

Today, October 16 2023 | 10:45

Ukraine must not lose the war against Russia, said Saxony Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer. But for him this is also true: “Conflicts in a small part of the world must not plunge the whole world into misfortune. But I feel like we are getting there.”

Kretschmer wants a ceasefire in the Ukraine war

Kretschmer sees the ceasefire and pause as a strategic opportunity to clarify matters. The Prime Minister of Saxony explained this in an interview with “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” . You have to think and consider alternatives. “Other paths, diplomacy, must be discussed seriously and with appreciation, without being hated. I believe this has damaged the social climate in Germany.”

When asked by FAZ whether Ukrainians should not be left to decide for themselves which direction they want to take, Kretschmer said that Ukraine could then do “whatever it wants and for as long as it wants.” It would be a blank check, and it is clear that in reality this blank check does not exist.”

Kretschmer: Europe should offer negotiations to Putin

We should not rely on Putin, Kretschmer said. The time has long come to offer Putin negotiations. “At least since the vanguard stopped.” This should be an initiative of European countries that must achieve this together with America, China and India. “That means influencing Putin and also talking to the Ukrainian side. It is a bitter statement that parts of their national territory may not be sovereign for years or decades. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up this territory.”

A “negotiated solution” with a division of the territory, with the west free and the east under Moscow’s control, is “bitter” for Kretschmer, but “the alternative would be to re-liberate all of Ukraine. Do we feel this is achievable?” It was the right course of action to help the country repulse the aggressors at first. “But now there is only damage to the front. Then, in my opinion, you have to take a different path, which is diplomacy.”