The Washington Post: A hasty peace agreement regarding Ukraine could have dangerous consequences for the whole world.

Russia and Ukraine are increasing the intensity of hostilities that have lasted for over 1000 days, trying to gain an advantage before the arrival of new U.S. President Donald Trump on January 20 and the possible change in U.S. policy regarding this conflict.

For Russia, escalating the conflict is linked to its desire to push Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region and occupy a larger portion of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine, on the other hand, views this situation as a matter of survival, maintaining sovereignty, and keeping a larger part of its pre-war territory.

This was reported by The Washington Post in an editorial article.

In the fall, Putin began to raise the stakes by inviting thousands of North Korean troops to strengthen his depleted forces. Ukraine's response has been to strike Russian territory, using British and American long-range missiles after the Biden administration lifted restrictions on their use. Russia tested a new medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile at a defense plant in Dnipro. President Biden agreed to provide Ukraine with anti-personnel mines.

Trump intends to quickly achieve an agreement to end the conflict after taking office. While he has not named specific conditions for such an agreement, he promises a swift resolution after the inauguration. Vice President Pence has been more specific, noting that a possible agreement may involve the creation of a 'demilitarized zone' in areas currently controlled by Russia.

Ukraine's European allies are showing fatigue from this conflict and may be more inclined to seek a peaceful resolution. However, there is a risk that in his desire to quickly achieve an agreement, Trump may agree to unfavorable terms.

A ceasefire that would truly lead to the division of Ukraine and leave Ukrainians frustrated and betrayed by their Western allies would only exacerbate Putin's aggression, emphasizes The Washington Post.

The publication stresses that a withdrawal of support for Ukraine or an agreement that leaves it territorially weakened will signal to dictators worldwide that Western resolve has a limited shelf life. This could also affect Chinese leader Xi Jinping's plans regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea.

U.S. and European Union assistance has been generous from the outset but often arrived late and came with numerous restrictions. Initially, there was uncertainty regarding the supply of M1 Abrams tanks, followed by fighter jets F-16, and then issues with obtaining permission to use long-range missiles for strikes on Russian territory.

Ukraine's weakness with limited territory would be equivalent to defeat for it and for the West as a whole, concludes the publication.