There are voices in the West proposing to Moscow to discuss the possibility of a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine without the participation of Kyiv. This was stated yesterday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergei Lavrov. In his opinion, this is how Brussels and Washington began to implement their new tactics in relation to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The minister emphasized that Moscow may consider such an option, but only if it is “finalized and completed.”
The minister did not specify who and when exactly voiced the proposal. But he noted the need for “the widest possible discussion” of this issue. They say that in this context, Moscow itself was allegedly always ready to take a certain step towards stabilizing the situation in the region. However, there is one caveat. Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly asserted that the Russian side is ready to talk about peace in Ukraine, but exclusively on its own terms. How the West’s potential new proposal will fit into this paradigm remains unknown.
“There is such an approach, an initiative voiced by our Western colleagues,” Lavrov summed up, in particular. – Allegedly, why don’t we (representatives of the Russian authorities – Ed.) meet with someone in the West and talk about ending hostilities in Ukraine without Ukraine itself. You need to understand that at any negotiations we will defend our interests, this is the current situation.” And it’s hard to disagree with this. It is no secret that both in the EU and in the United States there are indeed increasingly skeptical remarks regarding the further development of the situation for Ukraine in the Kupyansky, Zaporozhye and Kherson directions. And American President Joseph Biden, in one of his recent speeches, openly stated the need to “solve the Ukrainian problem” as soon as possible.
What will come of this? There is no direct answer to this question and, apparently, there will not be in the near future. According to officials in the United States, Putin is in no hurry to negotiate and direct contacts with the West on this topic only because he is waiting for the results of the presidential elections in the United States. “The Russian head of state is not interested in Washington establishing contacts in this context, since the owner of the White House will undoubtedly change by the end of next year,” American political commentator William Connolly said in a special commentary for EURO-ATLANTIC UKRAINE. – The loss of already established schemes for the Kremlin leader would mean a loss of weight in the international arena. And he cannot allow this.”
Be that as it may, the very fact that Lavrov made this statement indicates Moscow’s intention to involve Western politicians in discussing the topic of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. More precisely, the themes of its completion. But back in November last year, official Kyiv proposed its own version of peace negotiations with the Russian Federation, the key condition of which was the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. Then neither the Russian Federation nor the West responded to this initiativ
