Ukraine should give up territory to Russia to reach peace: Kissinger

Former secretary of state Henry Kissinger has said Ukraine should accept giving up part of its territory to reach a peace deal with Russia, and end the now three-month-long war immediately.

Talking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, this week, 98-year-old Kissinger said that failing to restart negotiations with Russia and continuing to antagonize Moscow could have disastrous consequences for Europe’s stability in the long term, reports Newsweek.

“Negotiations need to begin in the next two months before it creates upheavals and tensions that will not be easily overcome,” he said.

“Ideally, the dividing line should be a return to the status quo ante. Pursuing the war beyond that point would not be about the freedom of Ukraine, but a new war against Russia itself.”

Kissinger, who served under the administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford in the 1970s, warned against dragging on the war, and pressed for negotiations.

The former secretary of state said Russia has been an essential part of Europe for 400 years, acting as balancing power in critical times for the continent. Kissinger said Western countries should remember the importance of Russia in Europe and not get swept up “in the mood of the moment.”

Russia has declared it is open to the possibility of restarting peace talks if Ukraine makes the first step, as announced by Russian deputy foreign minister Andrei Rudenko on Monday.

“We will be ready to return as soon as Ukraine shows a constructive position and provides at least a reaction to the proposals submitted to it,” Rudenko said, talking to reporters in Moscow. He did not specify what this constructive position would be for Ukraine.

But, Ukraine has appeared to be increasingly uncompromising over reaching a peace agreement that sees Kyiv giving up part of its territory to Moscow.