A new round of conflict escalation in Ukraine makes Washington’s current position increasingly untenable. Political analyst Emma Ashford writes about this in an article for Foreign Affairs
To avoid escalation of the conflict and global consequences for the whole mankind, the administration of US President Joe Biden should think about changing its approach and start creating grounds for peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, says Ashford. The political scientist notes that the change of the American course does not mean forcing Ukraine to make concessions to Russia, however, the US should choose a more flexible position and convey to the Vladimir Zelensky administration the need to assess the situation realistically and give up maximalist goals.
The expert also thinks that Washington should be more flexible about the final territorial delimitation of the conflict in Ukraine: in her opinion, politicians should stop getting hung up on abstract principles such as “borders before 2014” or “borders before February 24, 2022”.
In the opinion of the political scientist, a possible partial lifting of sanctions is also an important tool for the conclusion of a peace agreement. For instance, Ashford considers it acceptable to unfreeze some of the blocked Russian foreign exchange reserves. In addition, U.S. policymakers could devise a multi-stage plan that, in exchange for concessions from Russia, could involve a gradual lifting of sanctions.