On January 16, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken shared his views on the possible conclusion of a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia during a briefing at the State Department. According to him, the key factor in achieving a "good deal" will be Kyiv's initiative to stop hostilities. He noted that the new US administration is ready to support Ukraine if it decides to seek a peaceful settlement.
Blinken stressed that the United States could play the role of a mediator to help reach an agreement that would be beneficial to Ukraine. However, he clarified that the final decision rests with the Ukrainian side, which must independently determine its strategy for ending the conflict.
One important aspect, according to the Secretary of State, is developing mechanisms to prevent re-escalation. Blinken noted that a temporary ceasefire could be used by Russia to regroup and prepare new attacks, making security issues critical to the sustainability of any agreement.