Peace negotiations or long war. Why is Ukraine hinted at the negotiating table?

Recently, foreign journalists are increasingly asking the question of whether Ukrainians are ready for negotiations with the Russian Federation. Some of our colleagues admit that they take on editorial assignments to find out the mood of Ukrainians. Reporters also ask President Vladimir Zelensky about negotiations with the Russian Federation. In response to CNN’s question, he explained that Ukraine did not accept negotiations with the Russian leader because Vladimir Putin’s statements about his desire for peace were not sincere.

None of Ukraine’s European or North American partners are now openly saying they need to sit at the negotiating table with Russia. To speak of this is to commit a civilizational failure at a time when an aggressive country that threatens the world with atomic weapons can prove its superiority. This situation is unacceptable for the EU and the USA.

But few will deny that Western leaders have tried and are trying to find a compromise on the war in Ukraine. Some, such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or Pope Francis, have tried at different times to become negotiators between Ukraine and Russia. Some like United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has discussed facilitating the lifting of sanctions against Russia in exchange for a grain deal. But all previous attempts were in vain.

There will be no negotiation for the sake of negotiation

Alexander Kraev, director of the North American program of the Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council, said in a comment Focus He said that Western partners are ready to provide new weapons for Ukraine’s counter-offensive and are not forcing Ukraine into negotiations.

“Now the sanctions continue to systematically keep Russia under control, and they are working. Sanctions against China are also added to them. However, there are still arguments from the Global South and some Western allies that we still have to go,” he states. We have to negotiate because we have to negotiate. So there should be negotiation for negotiation’s sake. “Our President’s clear reaction is an indication that there will be no negotiation for the sake of negotiation.”

The expert believes that negotiations will begin as soon as necessary. And this is also the attitude of Western partners, especially the Americans.

“We must pay tribute to Blinken, he made a very correct transition. On the one hand, America always supports negotiations, but only when all parties are ready for it,” Kraev said.

Let us remember, during his recent visit to Kiev, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he believed that Ukraine was ready to negotiate with the Russian Federation if the Russian side showed interest in diplomacy. “But it takes two to tango. And so far we haven’t seen any signs that Vladimir Putin is interested in diplomacy,” he said.

Kraev notes that Americans are very clear about what they see as their interests.

“Everything should start with the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. After that, you can start talking at the table. So the Americans do not consider any assumptions: “well, let’s try to agree now” “we will find an intermediate option.” Russians leave Ukrainian territory – “Then we can start talking. Before that, there is nothing to talk about, because the region is occupied and the Russians are bombing Ukrainian cities, what kind of attack will there be? Can we talk here?”

Level of support from Ukrainians

But let’s return to the position of Vladimir Zelensky. In response to Blinken’s statement, he said that Ukraine also supports the idea of ​​negotiations, but for a meaningful peace, we should not negotiate with the aggressor just for the sake of negotiation. “So these are very well placed points, and I am grateful to Blinken for the opportunity to repeat this thesis once again during this visit, which attracted the attention of all countries,” Alexander Kraev continues.

In an interview with The Economist, Zelensky also rejected the slightest opportunity to sit at the negotiating table with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “When you want to compromise or have a dialogue with someone, you can’t do it with a liar,” Zelensky said. He says in an interview that now is a bad moment for negotiations, that he is emotionally prepared for a long war against Russia and that some of Ukraine’s Western partners have noticed the change in mood.

Political strategist Viktor Bobyrenko says FocusIn Zelensky’s statements, it seems that he cannot even claim that Ukraine can negotiate. He will base his thoughts and hopes on the wishes of Ukrainians.

“And if in 2019 a significant number of Ukrainians supported the desire to negotiate and stop shooting, now 86% of Ukrainian society wants peace with the Russian Federation on Ukraine’s terms, that is, within the 1991 borders. And Zelensky has no choice. but 86 percent think like Ukrainians. “Another thing is that international partners can force Ukraine to negotiate, cutting military and financial aid so that the Ukrainians are more flexible in this regard, but so far we have not observed such a trend.”

Let us recall that according to a recent survey by the sociology service of the First Kucheriv Foundation for Democratic Initiatives and the Razumkov Center, the majority of citizens do not want to compromise with the Russian Federation to end hostilities.

Russia is putting pressure: It wants some respite

“So the current situation is this: the Ukrainian people want to liberate the region and then come to the negotiating table. Putin does not want to accept Ukraine’s conditions. Conflict is essential. Frankly, peace is possible in the region. If a society starves in the future and the army is tired and tired of fighting, it will starve.” will die. This was the case in the Russian Empire in 1917. The army stopped wanting to fight – society collapsed. This can also happen in war. But our motivation is more than the Russians, we are fighting on our own land, which means they will be the first to fall. If you ask me if victory is possible, I will answer : of course, when, who? “He knows how to get the Russian army tired of fighting,” says Bobyrenko.

And he is already tired because he has no weapons and other ammunition. That’s why Putin wants negotiations, but he actually wants a break.

“Russia has the hope of a ceasefire, so it writes Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporojye into its constitution as subjects of the Russian Federation. Accordingly, in our constitution, they are written as subjects of Ukraine. Therefore, from Russia’s perspective, these places are subjects of the Russian Federation According to the constitution, no one will end the war because “Whoever says ‘Let’s surrender Crimea’ will be considered a traitor.” Peace under Putin is impossible, but some kind of ceasefire is possible. It is advantageous for Putin” Viktor Bobyrenko said, “I will say this not when Ukraine captures the Kuban, but when Ukraine invades Crimea.”

Important

And while North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un’s train is heading to Russia to negotiate arms supplies from North Korea in exchange for high technology, Russia is trying in every possible way on different fronts to stop Ukraine’s counter-offensive. Informative, stating that it progresses very slowly. To guide negotiators diplomatically.

“There are politicians and states who aim to create their own peacemaking image and who really want to invest in this and gain political gain. Fortunately for us, not all of them are in leadership positions. In any country except China.” or pro-China countries forming the absolute majority of the political order will force us to negotiate,” Kraev notes.

In economic terms, holding negotiations between the UN Secretary General and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“The fact that Russia and China are trying to meet with the UN Secretary-General has been discussed for a long time. These came from the Russians and the Chinese. Half of the issues proposed there are about abolition,” the expert said. sanctions, return to SWIFT, opening of ports, common grain corridor – as one Ukrainian president once said, “this has already happened.” We need to understand that such a position exists, but it is more important to control it, we can work with it,” continues Alexander Kraev.

Talks about negotiations will not end, because Russia very successfully connects its terrorism to the world’s global problems, such as the prevention of the use of nuclear weapons or the food crisis. But no matter how the terrorist behaves, you cannot negotiate with him, otherwise he will repeat his actions.