David Arahamiya, leader of the President's “Servant of the People” party and head of the Ukrainian delegation during last year’s talks with Russia, has revealed that Russia proposed ending the war in spring 2022 on the condition that Ukraine abandon its NATO aspirations and adopt a neutral stance.
“They really hoped almost to the last that they would put the squeeze on us to sign such an agreement so that we would take neutrality. It was the biggest thing for them,” Arahamiya said in an interview with Ukrainian journalist Natalia Moseychuk.
“They were ready to end the war if we took – as Finland once did – neutrality and made commitments that we would not join NATO. This was the key point,” he added.
Speaking further and explaining Kyiv's refusal to accept the proposal, Arakhamia said that it would require a constitutional change, given that Ukraine’s Constitution states its intention to become a NATO member.
Additionally, he emphasized a lack of trust in the Russian position.
"There is no, and there was no, trust in the Russians that they would do it. That could only be done if there were security guarantees."
Arahamiya clarified that signing such an agreement without guarantees would have left Ukraine vulnerable to a second incursion.
“They would have come in more prepared, because they came in, in fact, unprepared for such resistance,” Arakhamia said.
According to the lawmaker, while another round of talks was underway in Istanbul, Boris Johnson unexpectedly came to Kyiv on April 9 and said that Ukraine "shouldn't sign anything with them at all – and let's just fight."
WORLD BRIEFING: April 27, 2024
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place during the early stages of the full-scale war, with negotiations held in Belarus and Turkey. Ukrainska Pravda reported how, at that stage, the Russian side expressed readiness for a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
But discussions were interrupted after Russian troops withdrew from Kyiv, revealing the extent of crimes committed, committed, notably the Bucha massacre.
Three days after Johnson's departure from Kyiv, Putin publicly stated that talks with Ukraine had “turned into a dead end.”
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Comments (9)
This piece seems like KP is trolling for russian trolls, and indeed a few have appeared in the comments. There are some important details missing here such as what would "ceasefire" or "ending the war" have meant in terms of Russian occupation of Ukrainian territory? What concessions would putin insist on from Ukraine for his "generosity?"
Obviously there's no reason to trust any agreement with Russia given the variety of efforts they've made over the last 20 years to undermine, deny, and outright ignore all the agreement they've been a party to regarding Ukrainian sovereignty and integrity. And Russia instigated the Tuzla Island conflict in 2003 and has been unrelenting since then in its efforts to take Ukraine. Trusting putin is like playing russian roulette with a fully loaded gun and going first.
Pretty much the only threat Russia takes seriously in the bigger dog contest is clearly NATO…. Question is: is NATO really what it says on the tin? If yes, then make Ukraine a NATO member on date x/y/z and re-iterate that attack on any member results in drastic and meaningful defensive blows.
Ukrainians are very naive if they think that West is really on their side. West doesn't care for ukrainian's lives, prosperity, future. We in NATO countries are only concerned about our geopolitical interest and very happy cause Ukrainians lose lives in war WE want to fight with Russia. They do it instead of us.
And we 🇺🇲🇪🇺 know from the very beginning that Ukraine cannot win this war, but can do damage to Russia and and also big damage to 🇺🇦itself. Horror.
Poor naive Ukrainien people...who believe in "western values" we sold them for their lives... West is nobodie's friend. I am so sorry for all of it. 😢
They did the right thing. Yes, the cost is terrible, but russia must be defeated. It is up to the Ukrainians, and their voice has been clear-they are not giving up their land or their right to choose their own future. There are always cowards who hide behind the ‘moral high ground,’ those who would ignore rape, murder, and genocide just so a status quo that is comfortable to them can be restored as soon as possible.
Zelensky and the delegation did the right thing. The Russian way of negotiation is to win plain and simple. The means to an end is under no restrictions of morality och ethics. Essentially they started by giving Ukraine security guarantees in the 1990:s and then they attacked and stole land, killed people and even shot down an international jet in 2014. In 2022 they attacked again and when it did not go so well they wanted to negotiate. Come on people, there never was a chance to negotiate, only to give up. Ancient wisdom - never trust the Russians.
If there would be elections, like in every normal democratic state (which the ukraine isn't), then Zelensky would loose..
First of all, forget about everything like EU, Nato etc. before the ukraine does't change it's condition
Taking the ceasefire was the right step..better that than 100,000s more dead.
To those who say, even more would have died if he agreement was signed -- where is the proof of that?
@Sonam, Nobody has said that. What is said is that Russia would use a ceasefire to regroup and eventually come back a second time more prepared. What is also true is that Russia's word is useless, and if you trust them, we'll then your either Russian, stupid, naive, or all of the above.
Russians and Ukrainians are like small children. Their mental development has stopped at the level of teenagers. Presumption: heavy and regular alcohol consumption from a young age
Brothers and sisters of Ukraine: for defending your motherland, go for crowdfunding via Internet - not merely funding from corrupt western governments who will abandon you any moment. Seek Internet-based funding from freedom-loving individuals and corporates worldwide. No shortage of wealth and generosity among free people of this planet. You will easily raise $ billions each month.