Political expert Yuriy Romanenko has stated that Ukraine’s negotiating position depends not on the skill of diplomats, but on real strength on the battlefield and the effectiveness of internal reforms. Speaking on his channel, he explained why any attempt to "freeze" the conflict without adequate armament would lead to an even greater tragedy.
"Look, negotiations are not an act of goodwill; they are always a derivative of the situation on the battlefield. Negotiations are only possible from a position of strength. As long as the enemy sees that we are weak or that we are hesitating, he will keep pressing," the analyst noted.
Romanenko emphasized that Russia is currently not interested in a just peace, as it hopes for the exhaustion of Ukrainian resources and Western support.
"Right now, the Russians are living under the illusion that they can 'outlast' us—that the West will grow tired and that internal divisions will begin here. As long as this illusion lives, any negotiations for them are simply a way to get a pause to regroup... And 'peace at any cost' is a dangerous trap. It is not peace. It is a path to a new, even more terrible war in a few years," the expert stressed.
In the analyst's view, Ukraine must aim for an "armed peace" model, where security is guaranteed by military might rather than paperwork.
"We need an 'armed peace,' like Israel or South Korea. Where neighbors know: if they cross the border, they will receive such a response that the cost of aggression will exceed any possible gain. Diplomacy only works when a powerful army and a functioning economy stand behind the diplomat," Romanenko explained.
He also added that internal corruption and bureaucracy directly weaken Ukraine’s position on the international stage.
"You cannot conduct strong negotiations if you have corruption at customs and bureaucracy in the military-industrial complex. Because your opponent knows this. Ukraine’s negotiating position is not forged in Foreign Ministry offices; it is forged in the workshops where drones are assembled... If we come as beggars, we will be crushed. If we come as a force that is cheaper to negotiate with than to fight, then the conversation will be different," Yuriy Romanenko concluded.
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