In Munich, Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak met with U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg.
The main topic of discussion was coordinating efforts to achieve a lasting peace.
“Putin never plays by the rules. Don’t let yourself be deceived. The Russians have always ridiculed the West, yet they have always copied it. Their current ‘pivot to the East’ is not a deep cultural shift but a tactical move to achieve their goals. Russians respect only strength and despise those who fail to use it. Russia stops not when it makes promises but when it is forced to stop,” Andriy Yermak emphasized.
A key focus of the meeting was continued support for Ukraine. Andriy Yermak stressed that helping Ukraine now is far less costly than confronting a stronger Russia later. He cited the Minsk agreements as an example – after signing them, Russia only strengthened its military and then launched a full-scale invasion. This is why a strong position now is critical to securing a just and lasting peace.
The Head of the Presidential Office underscored that any agreements without strong pressure on Russia will not work, as controlling Ukraine is central to Russia’s imperial ambitions. Therefore, Ukraine requires robust security guarantees and Russia’s accountability for crimes against Ukraine and its people.
Andriy Yermak and Keith Kellogg also discussed preparations for upcoming high-level meetings and the U.S. Special Envoy’s planned visit to Ukraine.