Making Daily Headlines · Page 2
Ukraine Requests a Place in Discussions About Ukraine
· New York time
US envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived in St. Petersburg for talks with Vladimir Putin on proposals to end Russia's war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists that decisions about Ukraine must include Ukraine. Speaking in Oslo, he also said Washington had reaffirmed its commitment to security guarantees. The stakes extend beyond arranging a meeting. US diplomacy must address both the pursuit of an agreement and the confidence of the country expected to live with its consequences. A security guarantee matters because of what it commits others to do, not because the phrase fits neatly in a statement. Discussing a country's future without that country's participation invites questions that no elegant seating chart can answer. A conference table is not improved by leaving the most relevant chair in storage. For Americans, the talks concern the use of US diplomatic influence and the nature of commitments made in their name. Those questions remain important even when the public presentation emphasizes movement, meetings and travel. Diplomacy requires patience, but it also requires nouns with identifiable owners. Before anyone announces that a deal is good for everyone, everyone should probably be allowed to inspect the definition of everyone.
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