Bolton warns caving to Russia talks demands to give Putin ‘leverage’

The former Trump aide that Ukraine’s bargaining position was “getting stronger” as the days go by due to no improvement in the Russian army’s military performance in Ukraine,. Mr Bolton however warned that if Volodymir Zelensky were to agree to peace talks at this moment in time, Vladimir Putin would still have the leverage to do whatever he wanted to do. He insisted Putin still wanted to split Ukraine from allies in the West and splinter Europe into feuding sections.Mr Bolton told Times Radio: “Zelensky has rejected this alternative in the past, and I would tell him to reject it again.”I think Ukraine’s bargaining posture here gets stronger every day that goes by.”The Russian military performance hasn’t shown signs of improvement.”And I think to start talking now would give Putin some leverage to do what I think he wants to do.JUST IN: ‘Smoking Bro’ grandad ran marathon in under 3.5 hours slowed only to light cigarette John Bolton (Image: Getty/CNN) Russian President Vladimir Putin (Image: Getty)Mr Bolton added: “As I say, which is to split Europe, split the Western alliance and hope to emerge with the status quo on the ground.”Putin’s troops withdrew from the region of Kherson and left the zone free for Ukrainian forces to liberate and gain victory.Some military experts have been claiming that this is a clear sign that Putin is losing the brutal war, which he started.Military expert Sean Bell has warned that the next step in Putin’s plan will likely involve pushing his military in a “desperate” bid to gain and hold ground before the winter months hit. READ MORE: Australian mining billionaire launches fund to begin costly Ukraine reconstructionMr Bell told Sky News: “I find it fascinating because from a military perspective the Russians are losing effectively around Kherson, they are losing to the north of the Donbas region.”And yet rather than using the Russian military that is available to plug those gaps it continues to fight in the Donbas region.”The only explanation I can come out with for that is Putin has always described this as a Special Military Operation designed to seize the Donbas and the Crimea.”This seems a desperate effort to actually seize the rest of the Donbas to be able to go into Winter and potentially negotiate despite however difficult that might be.DON’T MISS: Environment minister Zac Goldsmith ‘runs away’ from 11-year-old climate activist at COP27[INSIGHT]Parents left devastated as girl, 17, dies after taking MDMA at sleepover with friends [REVEAL]Flooding in ‘battered and bruised’ New South Wales transform land into inland sea [SPOTLIGHT] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Image: Getty)”Whatever there is a massive push at the moment to try and secure the vital ground in advance of the winter pause.”Despite Putin’s vow to conquer the Donbas region at the start of the onslaught, and claim it as Russian territory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to President Zelensky said: “The world sees it now. It sees what it means when Ukrainians meet their own people.”It sees what the unity of Ukrainians means. And it sees why we should liberate our entire land from the invaders.”READ NEXTNorth Korea fires ballistic missile towards South Korean waters sparking war fearsChances of full Ukrainian victory ‘not high’ but peace is possible, US General saysTwo dead in latest bloody Iran protests as security forces unleash violence on protestorsNATO warned not to ‘jump to conclusions’ over Poland attack amid WW3 riskQatar forced to issue apology after security threatens to smash Danish TV kit live on air