This week on Mindful Headlines, KING 5's Jessica Janner Castro talks to policy specialist John Koenig about the war in Ukraine. Koenig spent more than three decades in the U.S. Foreign Service and is currently a lecturer with the UW Center for West European Studies.
Koenig is a former ambassador to Cyprus and a political advisor to the NATO Joint Forces Command. In 2011, he got the Presidential Distinguished Service award for his work and leadership in Berlin, Germany and at the U.S. Mission to NATO.
Koenig said a diplomatic solution to the war is still possible.
"[The chances] are growing. I don’t know how great they are, but I do believe right now they’re growing. It’s in part because of this stalemate. One of the keys to opening the door to a diplomatic solution to this conflict has been the resistance of the Ukrainians and the Ukrainian Armed Forces," Koenig said. “We’re not going to have a Russian victory it seems. We’re going to have some kind of very, very painful compromise.”
Koenig attended numerous NATO summits during his service and said President Joe Biden's trip to Belgium and Poland is very important.
Koenig said it’s crucial to pay attention to media reporting during the NATO emergency summit.
“What happens among these allies. How solid are they?” Koenig said. “We won’t have an easy picture of that in the documents or the decision, but you’ll hear about that in the press coverage.”
