Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the war in Ukraine will end only when Vladimir Putin "finally understands that he cannot win." Until then, no negotiations will produce results.
Pompeo made the remarks in an interview with Natalia Moseychuk recorded on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion, "Hvylya" reports.
"Negotiations will move at exactly the pace at which leverage shifts to the West. When Putin reaches the limit and understands that it will only get worse from here - then he will concede. But not before," Pompeo said.
Pompeo warned that even a peace deal would not change the Russian leader's nature. "Even if this afternoon there's a peace agreement and he lays down his arms for an hour - he'll immediately go right back to doing what he's doing. That's his design. That's who he is," the former head of the State Department said.
According to Pompeo, the West cannot allow Putin "even for a moment to convince himself that we will give up." He pointed out that behind Putin stands Xi Jinping, "ready to commit the next crime against peace."
Pompeo also said that Ukraine must not be forced to give up any territory or sovereignty. "That will be a mistake not just for Ukraine, but for Europe and for all of us - to see that aggression is rewarded with new territories," he concluded.
Meanwhile, US envoy Witkoff has already announced a new meeting to address territory issues and security guarantees.
Also read Kofman's warning about the main threat in peace negotiations.