Podoliak noted in a press release received here on Saturday (March 5, 2022) that the position of Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Volodymyr Zelensky, on negotiations with the Russian Federation remained tough.
“Hence, negotiations will be difficult. However, they will proceed,” he noted.
The head of state clearly understands all the nuances and circumstances of the negotiations with the Russian Federation, according to the adviser.
"We are not just negotiating or listening to them. We understand where they want to go, why they think so, and what their situation really is,” Podoliak remarked.
He stressed that Ukraine's position in the negotiation process is significantly strengthened by support from its Western partners as well as the success of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
When Russia planned a military invasion in Ukraine, it expected it to be short-lived, and the consequences in the form of sanctions to not be that significant, he added.
"However, today, we have won a protracted battle around many cities in Ukraine. We see that this is a humanitarian catastrophe in the heart of Europe, and of course, the package of sanctions that our Western partners are imposing on Russia today is having very serious consequences for them, which will last for a year or two or three, even if they are lifted today,” he stated.
He noted that sanctions had already brought down the Russian economy, so the Russians would seek to reach some solutions in the negotiations.
"It is clear that these decisions should be in the interests of Ukraine because when they entered the negotiation process, it was one position. Today, Ukraine is fighting as no one expected," he noted.
Closing the sky over Ukraine for Russian flights will significantly change the course of the war and help address several issues, including humanitarian ones, according to Podoliak.
"The concept of closed skies will significantly change the disposition of this war and help us resolve humanitarian issues, i.e. (to stop) the shelling of major cities in Ukraine, and in principle, return the Russians to a more or less adequate status, so that they understand that it is possible to fight the army if we are already at war but not against the civilian population,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Government had earlier called upon Russia and Ukraine to prevent further escalations of hostilities and return to the negotiating table, according to Teuku Faizasyah, spokesman of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.
"First, (Indonesia) is concerned over the armed conflict escalating in Ukraine, which is very dangerous for the safety of the people and could affect peace in the region," Faizasyah cautioned.
Indonesia called upon Russia and Ukraine to prevent escalations and resolve the conflict at the negotiating table, he remarked.
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Reporter: Juwita Trisna Rahayu
Editor: Suharto
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