Ukraine not to accept face-saving scenario for Putin. Here are three why’s. French President Emmanuel Macron asked President Zelenskyi to make concessions on Ukraine’s sovereignty. Other European leaders had made similar statements, advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak told Radio NV (Novoe Vremya). “These statements made not only by Macron, but also by other European politicians are weird to hear. They say: even though you lost many civilians in this war, your infrastructure is ruined, and they strike against city centers and residential areas, do consider making concessions on territory, so that [Russian dictator Vladimir] Putin, an important figure for European and global affairs, could save face,” Podolyak said.
Ukraine will not agree to those suggestions, the advisor to the presidential chief of staff said. Here are at least three reasons why.
“First, (…) there is no way that the Ukrainian society could accept those demands. Second, any concession made to Russia and the Russian political elite so that they could save face, will mean Minsk 3 – a war postponed for a year or three. Europe’s political elite has to understand that as they make such statements. We will not accept that consciously. Third, even a small concession to Russia will encourage it to make more demands,” Podolyak said.
Europe has to take a more correct stance on putting an end to the war. Not concessions to Russia, but priorities for Ukraine need to take center stage, Podolyak proceeded.
Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba called not to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Some try to shift the blame for Russian invasion on NATO, the U.S., the EU, Ukraine. For a variety of reasons: anti-Americanism, moral blindness, conspiracy theories, Russian payrolls. The truth is Russia wages an unjustified and unprovoked war of aggression. Don’t fall for lies,” Kuleba twitted.
Evacuation from Azovstal continues. Evacuation of the Ukrainian troops from the Azovstal steelworks continues, advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak told Radio NV. The process is complex, he added, calling for caution over discussions around it.
Russia continuously shells border areas in Sumy, Chernihiv regions, Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service said. On May 18, Russia made seven attacks like this, of which five hit Sumy region, and two Chernihiv region, the border guards said.
Russian forces used heavy machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, tube and rocket artillery.
The longest attack lasted around an hour. Russian troops shelled a town in Shostka district of Sumy region from mortars. The Ukrainian troops took no casualties.
Russia continues with air raids to terrorize Ukraine. Five civilians were killed, including a two-year-old child, and four were wounded as Russia conducted an air strike on Bakhmut in Donetsk region on May 17.
A missile hit a residential house destroying five stories. Bodies of the above casualties, a woman and a child, were pulled from under the rubble. Other casualties include men, ages 43 and 44, and a 75-year-old woman. Four more people were injured including children, ages 9, 12, and 17.
Ukraine in Flames #69: Why Russia can‘t have “face–saving” options in Ukraine
The idea to give Putin an “off-ramp” in Ukraine and a possibility “to save his face” is often presented as pragmatic. In truth, it is not only far from pragmatism, but rather dangerous. Discover why – with Ukraine in Flames #69.
Speakers:
Dr. Hanna Shelest, Editor-in-Chief, UA: Ukraine Analytica
Danylo Lubkivsky, Director of Kyiv Security Forum
Ksenia Illiuk, analyst at Detector Media
Iryna Starovoyt, phD in philological sciences, adjunct lecturer at the Ukrainian Catholic University, Department of Cultural Studies
Mykola Davydiuk, political scientist, alumnus of Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education