Can and Should the U.S. Negotiate With Russia to End Russia’s War in Ukraine?

Two and one-half years following Russia’s massive 2022 invasion of Ukraine, leaders in both Moscow and Kyiv appear determined to keep fighting despite growing costs to each side. Indeed, even as Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region has prompted speculation surrounding the implications of Kyiv’s military successes for potential talks, Russian leaders have rejected negotiations amid assertions that Moscow won’t negotiate “under pressure.” Russia’s military has instead launched massive new attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Nevertheless, just a few weeks ago, Russian and Ukrainian officials were reportedly prepared to discuss limits on the conflict in planned talks in Doha, Qatar. Meanwhile, as the war continues, the United States moves closer to a presidential election that could have substantial consequences for the course of the war.
On September 11, the Center for the National Interest assembled a highly experienced panel to discuss whether, when, and how the United States could negotiate with Russia. Speakers included:
-Thomas Graham, Distinguished Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of the recent book Getting Russia Right. Graham is a research fellow at Yale University’s MacMillan Center and, after a long career in the U.S. Foreign Service, was Special Assistant to President George W. Bush and National Security Council Senior Director for Russia.
-Dov S. Zakheim is Vice Chair of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a Senior Fellow at CNA, and a Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He served concurrently as Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and DOD’s Chief Financial Officer and coordinator of civilian programs in Afghanistan and earlier as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Planning and Resources, in addition to other Pentagon posts.
Paul Saunders, the President of the Center for the National Interest, moderated the discussion.