Putin would welcome U.S. pullback from Ukraine peace talks — Polish diplomat Cichocki

He shared his thoughts on Espreso TV.

"The risk that the U.S. might exit the peace process was indeed real. However, that would have been a gift for Vladimir Putin, the realization of his dreams. Fortunately, the U.S. remained at the center of European security affairs. I believe a major factor in this was the signing of the agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine on minerals. If I'm not mistaken, it was the first bilateral agreement of the new U.S. government. Later, they signed an agreement with the United Kingdom. This indicates that you can achieve your goals if you clearly state your limits to Washington and the concessions you are ready to make, and those you are not," Cichocki explained.

The diplomat is convinced that even if a peace agreement were signed, Russia would continue to pose a threat to the entire European continent.

"I believe that the agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine reduces the risk that the Americans would focus solely on domestic issues. This was essentially another defeat for Russia. However, we need to understand that this crisis and the threat from Russia will persist for a long time. Whether a ceasefire agreement is reached or not, Russia will continue to pose a threat to the entire European continent for a long time," he added.

• U.S. President Donald Trump, on May 8, called for an unconditional ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and threatened new sanctions if the truce was violated.
• On Thursday, May 8, the Ukrainian Parliament approved the ratification of the agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. regarding minerals.