U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker has said it would be too costly for Russia to try to move forward in Donbas.
"I think that's very important, making clear to Russia that it's not going to be gaining anything more here. We are hoping to deter new aggression and demonstrate that the existing aggression is only costing Russia," he said in an exclusive interview with UNIAN.
Volker stressed the Ukrainian military due to Ukraine's own efforts is much better today than it was in 2014.
"The Ukrainian military due to Ukraine's own efforts is much, much better today than it was in 2014. And so that already would introduce additional costs to Russia, and inability of Russia to deny its responsibility if it were to launch new aggression this time," he said.
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"In addition to that, the United States and other countries have provided support to Ukraine, including for instance antitank missiles and anti-sniper systems, the technical advisers, training, so the Ukrainian military is better equipped and better capable of responding to Russian aggression, and that would also make it more costly for Russian."
"And that's why I believe Russia would in fact be deterred, and say it's not worth it. It doesn't mean they are going to leave and it doesn't mean that Ukraine is capable of taking the territory back militarily – it's not. No one's going to defeat Russia. But I think also it would be too costly for Russia to try to move forward at this point," Volker added.
