US prolonging Ukraine war by sending weapons to strike Russia: Experts
4 Min Read
Former Iranian Ambassador to Germany Seyed Hossein Mousavian suggests an international peace initiative that stops NATO from expanding to Russian borders and by holding free UN-supervised elections in territories gained by Russia in Ukraine.
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U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris, on June 7, 2024. (AP)
The US is pushing for a "dangerous escalation" and a prolongation of the war in Ukraine by allowing limited strikes on Russian territory with US-supplied weapons, experts told Sputnik.
World-renowned economist and president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Jeffrey Sachs, explained to Sputnik that "This is yet another escalation. It is dangerous", adding, "The only sane course is Russia-US negotiation, based on ending the US plan for NATO enlargement to Ukraine, establishing Ukraine’s neutrality, ending the war, and settling other pending issues."
Establishing Ukraine as a neutral state, Sachs clarified, would not only stop the war but it would save lives. "This entire conflict could have been and should have been avoided, based on neutrality, collective security, and mutual respect," he said.
This comes days after US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed that Ukraine already started striking Russian territory with US-provided weapons after Joe Biden greenlit the decision.
In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned NATO member nations to know "what they are playing with" and requested a meeting of the UN Security Council on June 14 to discuss the matter.
According to US officials, Biden made the move "only to defend the under-fire" Kharkov region against Russian forces. The news agency says that Biden has come under increasing pressure from Ukrainian officials urging him to ease the ban on the use of weapons. However, the US president believes that this would drag NATO into direct conflict or even a nuclear standoff with Russia.
Violent, but 'necessary'
Former Iranian Ambassador to Germany Seyed Hossein Mousavian said Biden's decision is what the West seeks and the repercussions will not bring peace and security.
Speaking to Sputnik, Mousavian said, "Unfortunately, there is no credible international initiative to end the Ukraine war, and the strategy of NATO member countries is based on prolonging this war", suggesting an international peace initiative that stops NATO from expanding to Russian borders and by holding free UN-supervised elections in territories gained by Russia in Ukraine.
"The majority vote will determine the fate of these territories," Mousavian said.
Read more: War in Ukraine shattering 'superiority' of US-made weaponry: RS
Former US ambassador-at-large to the Soviet Union Stephen Sestanovich claimed to Sputnik that it was a "necessary step" to respond to the scale of Russia's special military operation.
Sestanovich believes there's a risk Russia could escalate its military operation in Ukraine as a response of Biden's decision but doesn't see Russian intention to expand its operations beyond borders.
He added: "NATO’s leaders, including President Biden, have made clear they want to avoid such an expansion of the war".
Meanwhile, former Europe expert at the White House National Security Council, Charles Kupchan, expressed to Sputnik that Biden's decision is "a good one" and believes "the chances of escalation are low," adding that "enhancing Ukraine's ability to defend itself is critical to ending the war."
According to Kupchan, Russia won't back down from its goal to steer Ukraine away from the West as US officials consistently claim that Ukraine "understands" that US weapons use is for limited defensive strikes just across Russia's border. However, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine on Friday of using US-supplied HIMARS missiles to target civilian areas in Russia's Belgorod region, killing women and children.
