Ukraine is closer to peace now than at any time in last four years – Poroshenko

A member of the Ukrainian Parliament and leader of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko is convinced that Ukraine has a chance to end the war, as military, technological, economic, and political factors will converge in the coming months, creating a situation for Russia in which continuing the war will become increasingly costly and dangerous.

"I want to say this with the utmost responsibility: Ukraine is closer to peace than at any time in the past four years. But the window of opportunity, which we have no right to squander, is limited to this summer alone. This is a chance to establish a ceasefire and begin negotiations with the participation of the United States and Europe. Because when the only issue on the table is a ceasefire, the Russian dictatorship will have nowhere to turn," Poroshenko said in a video address published on YouTube on Tuesday.

According to him, this opportunity exists primarily thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and "drone diplomacy," which serves as a "language of deterrence."

"At the same time, a technological advantage is never permanent, because the enemy learns, adapts, reorganizes its defenses, looks for weak spots, and tries to catch up with us. That is why time is a critical factor. The second factor is the situation on the front lines, where the Russian army, despite all the bluffs of Kremlin propaganda, is stalling far more than Moscow is willing to admit… The Kremlin is getting closer and closer to announcing a mobilization, which entails enormous domestic risks for Putin. And we must act before Russia gets the chance to replenish the front lines with hundreds of thousands of mobilized troops," the politician said.

He cited the international political calendar as a third factor, noting that the United States is entering a period of midterm congressional elections, and "if we want the Ukrainian issue to remain in focus not as a problem but as a strategic priority for the Free World, we must act now."

"Our team is ready to offer all our experience, all our international contacts, and all the capabilities we have gained over decades of work in Ukrainian politics, diplomacy, and the security sector. We are ready to work wherever Ukraine's national interests require it. We are ready to strengthen the state's negotiating positions, help form an international coalition to pressure the aggressor, and do everything to ensure that the world does not merely sympathize but acts together with Ukraine. If a broad national coalition is needed for this, we are ready to participate. If the question of a Government of National Unity arises, we are ready to take on that responsibility," Poroshenko said, adding that "today is the time for great Ukrainian unity."

As reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced a window of opportunity for negotiations with Russia to end the war, which will remain open until next winter, and noted that this had been discussed with the U.S. side.

According to him, by winter, "we need to find a way, a diplomatic path, to sit down and talk." At the same time, according to the Ukrainian president, the prospect of such negotiations depends on the pressure of sanctions on Russia.

Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha announced a meeting of EU foreign ministers in the Gymnich format, where the role and format of Europe's participation in peace talks were discussed.

During his speech at the Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa, Poroshenko also noted that there is currently a narrow window of opportunity to compel the Russian side to make peace