Poland's Tusk Suggests Ukraine Peace Talks Could Begin This Winter

2024-12-11 global

Warsaw, Tuesday, 10 December 2024.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk indicates potential Ukraine peace talks this winter, marking a significant step amidst ongoing conflict. Poland aims to lead and influence these discussions.

Poland’s Strategic Position

As Poland prepares to assume the European Union’s rotating presidency on January 1, 2025 [1][2], Prime Minister Donald Tusk is positioning his country as a key mediator in potential peace negotiations. Speaking during a government meeting on December 10, 2024, Tusk emphasized Poland’s intention to ‘set the tone for decisions that will secure peace and protect Polish interests’ [4]. As one of Kyiv’s strongest supporters since Russia’s 2022 invasion [5], Poland’s role as a crucial logistics hub for Western military aid to Ukraine [6] adds weight to its diplomatic initiatives.

Diplomatic Momentum Building

A series of high-level diplomatic meetings are scheduled to advance peace discussions. French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit Warsaw on December 12, 2024 [1][5], following his recent talks in Paris with US President-elect Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky [3]. The Polish Prime Minister is also maintaining active communication with Scandinavian and Baltic allies [6], while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected in Warsaw in early January 2025 [4].

Ukraine’s Stance and Russian Response

On December 9, 2024, President Zelensky showed increased openness to diplomatic resolution [2], though he expressed skepticism about Putin’s willingness to end the conflict based on his December 3 discussions with Trump and Macron [2]. The Kremlin’s position, as stated on December 10, 2024, remains firm that the war will continue until Putin’s objectives are achieved, either through military action or negotiation [2][5].

NATO Considerations

Parallel to peace talk preparations, Ukraine is actively pursuing security guarantees. According to Ihor Zhovkva, deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office, discussions about NATO membership and security guarantees are planned for later in December 2024 [2]. However, he acknowledges that full NATO membership remains ‘unattainable for now’ [2]. Ukraine is currently assembling a coalition of key allies to coordinate both battlefield and diplomatic strategies [4].

Sources

Ukraine peace talks