Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker said on Newsmax Tuesday that any U.S.-Ukraine understanding will ultimately hinge on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
And Putin, Volker argued, is unlikely to accept a deal that falls short of Moscow's maximalist war aims.
Volker told "American Agenda" that Putin has signaled he intends to reject proposals that do not effectively "give him all of Ukraine," contending the Kremlin wants to subjugate Ukraine by limiting its sovereignty and military, blocking meaningful security guarantees, and seizing even more territory than Russia has taken on the battlefield.
He described those demands as "over the top" and said Moscow has shown no sign of abandoning them.
Volker added that Ukraine has remained consistent in offering to accept a ceasefire along current lines, to work with the United States, and to proceed with a minerals agreement so Kyiv is "paying" its own way.
He also said European partners are now funding U.S.-made ammunition and arms, reducing the burden on American taxpayers. But Volker argued that the West has not applied enough pressure to change Putin's calculus, saying the Russian leader still believes he can gain militarily.
Asked what might "move the needle," Volker pointed to targeting Kremlin revenue from oil and gas, saying, "President [Donald] Trump has already put in place sanctions on Russia's oil sector, but a lot of countries are evading that, like China or Turkey or India, where they are buying Russian oil, refining it, and then selling it themselves on global markets."
"So we need those secondary sanctions to go after those businesses that are engaging in that trade with Russia in oil and gas," Volker added.
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