West Threatens Military Response if Russia Violates Ceasefire Under New Ukraine Plan

Ukraine has coordinated with Europe and the United States a plan to support a future peace agreement that includes security guarantees in the event Russia violates a ceasefire, The Financial Times reports. The framework consists of several clearly defined stages.

Photo: defense.gov by сержант Джон Кросби, https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/pdm/

U.S. Army Private Darrell Futrell lifts a 155mm shell.

Three Stages of Response to a Ceasefire Violation

According to the source, the agreement envisions three phases. During the first 24 hours following a violation, diplomatic pressure is applied. If hostilities continue, European countries from the so-called "coalition of the willing” enter the conflict. If fighting does not stop within three days, Russia would face a direct military response from Europe and the United States.

The document, presented as a system of security guarantees, has already been coordinated by Ukraine with the United States and European countries.

Russia Responds to the Western Plan

In Russia, the initiative triggered an immediate reaction. Andrei Kartapolov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense, described the alleged approval of a military response plan as yet another manipulation. In his view, Ukraine and its partners are attempting to exert pressure on Russia.

"First, no peace agreement has been signed yet, and therefore there is no point in discussing future documents whose contents are unknown to anyone. Second, such publications are a traditional attempt to pressure Russia in order to force us to do what we do not want," the official said.

The Russian side will not accept such an agreement, the parliamentarian emphasized. As a result, such provisions cannot appear in any future peace settlement. According to Kartapolov, Kyiv is simply trying to rehabilitate itself against the backdrop of military setbacks.

Russia-Ukraine-US Talks in Abu Dhabi Postponed

The first trilateral negotiations on the terms of a future peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine took place on January 23-24. The second round, originally scheduled for February 1, was postponed following a meeting between Russian and American representatives in Florida.

Official reasons for the change in dates were not disclosed, but a source close to the process stated that the postponement occurred by mutual consent of the parties.

The meeting is expected to take place in the middle of the current week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky named new dates for the negotiations — February 4 and 5. Earlier, he responded to an invitation to come to Moscow by stating that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia was impossible.

"Of course, it is impossible for me to meet Putin in Moscow. That would be the same as meeting Putin in Kyiv. I could just as well invite him to Kyiv,” Zelensky said.

At that time, Kyiv was already preparing its negotiating team and planned to send it to Abu Dhabi on February 2.