News Feed

US State Department: If Russia wants demilitarized zone in Ukraine, it should remove its own troops

2 min read
US State Department: If Russia wants demilitarized zone in Ukraine, it should remove its own troops
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller a daily press briefing at the State Department in Washington, U.S., May 22, 2023. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A potential demilitarized zone in Ukraine would be unfeasible as long as Russian troops continue to operate in Ukraine, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Feb. 1.

Miller was responding to a comment reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in which Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested creating a "demilitarized" or "sanitary" zone in Ukraine that would put Russian territory and illegally occupied parts of Ukraine out of range of Ukrainian weapons.

Putin included the city of Kharkiv within the proposed demilitarized zone. The notion of territorial concessions in exchange for peace is already highly unpopular among Ukrainians.

The prospect of allowing Ukraine's second-largest city to be in a potential Russian-designated demilitarized zone is even more unlikely.

Miller emphasized that "Putin has made clear over and over again that he has not changed his aims to conquer and subjugate Ukraine."

"If Russia really wanted to show interest in a demilitarized zone, the thing they could do is start by demilitarizing the parts of Ukraine where there are currently Russian forces," he added.

The ISW argued that Putin's proposed demilitarized zone was not a serious suggestion.

It was on the contrary, a rhetorical method to capitalize on "existing narratives in Western media" that question the longevity of Western aid for Ukraine and seek to "compel the West to negotiate with Russia on Russian terms."

The proposed demilitarized zone "is a vague goal that is actually unattainable as long as there is an independent Ukraine with any ability to fight," the ISW added.

Ukraine war latest: EU leaders agree to $54 billion funding for Kyiv; Russian ship sunk near occupied Crimea
Key developments on Feb. 1: * All 27 EU leaders agree on 50 billion euro ($54 billion) aid package for Ukraine * Military intelligence: Russian missile ship sunk off occupied Crimea. * Foreign volunteers killed by Russian attack in Kherson * White House won’t discuss separating aid to Ukraine f…
Article image
Avatar
Nate Ostiller

News Editor

Nate Ostiller is a former News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. He works on special projects as a researcher and writer for The Red Line Podcast, covering Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and focused primarily on digital misinformation, memory politics, and ethnic conflict. Nate has a Master’s degree in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the University of Glasgow, and spent two years studying abroad at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Originally from the USA, he is currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Read more
News Feed
Show More