Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Adam Lammon, Business Insider: Will Ukraine Begin a New Dialogue With Moscow?
Volodymyr Zelensky was elected on a platform of compromise with Russia and public support seems to be firmly on his side, but other problems restricting his political latitude remain.
Is there a possibility for a fresh start in Ukraine that would push for a fight against corruption, reforms, and a dialogue with Moscow—all of which polls indicate are backed by the vast majority of voters who supported the candidacy of Volodymyr Zelensky for the presidency? A luncheon discussion at the Center for the National Interest on Thursday surveyed whether Zelensky will indeed be able to translate his electoral success into a breakthrough on negotiations with Russia. The panelists were Samuel Charap, a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation who has served on the Policy Planning staff during the Obama administration, Keith Darden, an associate professor at American University’s School of International Service, and Jacob Heilbrunn, the editor of the National Interest. The event was moderated by George Beebe, vice president and director of studies at the Center for the National Interest, and a former chief Russia analysis at the CIA as well as a White House aide during the George W. Bush administration.
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WNU Editor: Is a new period of Ukraine - Russian dialogue and diplomacy about to begin? Only after the July 21 parliamentary elections where it is expected that President Zelensky's party will form the majority, and where they will then follow through with their election promises. As to those election promises, I know Russian-Ukrainians and Russia itself are expecting the rescinding of the law that bans Russian in public and government institutions, as well reversing the anti-Russian measures that were enacted in the education system by the past adminstration. If this is not done, it will be a huge disappointment for many Ukrainians, and it will be interpreted as a signal by the Kremlin that Ukraine is not serious. I personally expect these promises will be respected, and it will happen in the fall. And after that .... the environment is then set for the diplomats to get involved, of which I know both sides are eager to pursue.