U.S. Senator Mike Rounds Rejects Negotiations with Russia
U.S. Senator Mike Rounds said that Russia cannot be trusted to engage in peace talks to end the war in Ukraine.
Rounds, a Republican and ally of President-elect Donald Trump, made his comments at the Halifax Security Forum on November 22. He expressed skepticism about negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We may be deceiving ourselves” if we think we can negotiate with Putin, Rounds said. “As much as I would like to believe we can negotiate with a tyrant, I suspect we may be deceiving ourselves.”
Rounds’ views are in contrast to those of Trump, who has called for a quick end to the war and has spoken admiringly of Putin.
“Do you think he’s gonna stop if you offer him part of a free country?” Rounds asked. “I wish I could say there’s an easy way out, but there’s not.”
Senate Republicans generally support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Rounds expressed frustration that the U.S. has not provided more weapons to Ukraine.
Rounds did not criticize Trump directly and noted that his views are not those of the incoming presidential administration.
The conflict in Ukraine has sparked fears that Washington will pressure Kyiv to accept a deal that favors Moscow, including territorial concessions and a promise not to join NATO.
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