Russia and Ukraine Are Not Ready for Talks

Jan 11, 2023

Also published in Foreign Affairs
Illustration of chess pieces and the Russian and Ukrainian flags - source: Reuters
About the Authors
James Sebenius

James Sebenius is the Gordon Donaldson professor of business administration at Harvard Business School and director of the Harvard Negotiation Project.

Michael Singh
Michael Singh

Michael Singh is the Managing Director and Lane-Swig Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.

Articles & Testimony

No deal is possible between a Ukraine that is making steady battlefield progress and a Russia in denial of this reality, but they might get there if Kyiv keeps winning.

In October 2022, progressive Democrats in the U.S. Congress sparked an uproar by releasing a letter urging President Joe Biden to pursue negotiations with Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine. The signatories called for a “proactive diplomatic push...to seek a realistic framework for a ceasefire.” The letter was quickly retracted and its release blamed on a staffing error. But the following month, General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, repeated the call for Ukraine to “seize the moment” and negotiate, arguing that Kyiv was unlikely to make further military gains for the foreseeable future. Supporters of Ukraine reacted furiously, asserting that negotiations inevitably meant compromise with—and thus victory for—Russia. But asking whether negotiations are good or bad misses the point...

Read the full article on the Foreign Affairs website.

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