Biden: there will be no peace talks without Ukraine's participation
US President Joe Biden considers the liberation of Kherson a significant victory for Ukraine and has stated that the United States will not negotiate with Russia without Ukraine's participation.
Source: Joe Biden’s remarks during a press conference in Bali on 14 November
Biden was asked whether he considers Russia's retreat from Kherson a turning point in the war and whether the United States is ready to support Ukraine to achieve Kyiv's stated goal of liberating its entire territory, including Crimea.
Quote: "It was a significant, significant victory for Ukraine. A significant victory. And I can do nothing but applaud the courage, determination and capacity of the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian military. I mean, they have really been amazing," Biden said, commenting on the withdrawal of Russian troops from the west bank of the Dnipro.
Details: He noted that the United States are "going to continue to provide the capability for the Ukrainian people to defend themselves".
Quote: "We are not going to engage in any negotiation. There's nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, this is a decision Ukraine has to make," Biden said, commenting on the possibility of negotiations with Russia.
Details: Biden also expects that hostilities will "slow down a bit" on the battlefield in the winter months, in particular due to the "inability to move as easily around the country." But he said Russia would not be able to achieve its original goal.
Quote: "I’m confident that Russia will not occupy or defend Ukraine as they intended from the beginning," the US President said.
The Wall Street Journal reported, citing its sources, that Biden's national security advisor Jake Sullivan has recommended that Zelenskyy's team start thinking about its realistic demands for negotiations with Russia, including a reconsideration of Ukraine's stated aim of regaining Crimea.
Sullivan later confirmed that communication channels between Washington and Moscow remain open despite the war in Ukraine.
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