A summit for peace in two months, under the supervision of the United Nations and at the United Nations headquarters. The perspective outlined by the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, during the interview he gave to the US agency Associated Press on Monday, seems to bring hope.
However, the condition sine qua non set by Kyiv to see Russia accept the translation of some of its own before international justice for war crimes before being able to participate in the negotiations and the Russian demands invite more caution than optimism.
only one requirement
While in recent days – and in particular during his visit to the United States – the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has reiterated his desire to carry out a “peace plan”, Dmytro Kuleba has resumed his idea of organizing a summit with this end. The Foreign Minister even set a deadline: “We are aiming for the end of February, when the war will enter its second year.”
But the Ukrainian executive establishes a prerequisite from which it has no intention of derogating. For the Russian invader to have a say in such an event, he will first have to agree to face war crimes trials in an international court. “They will only be invited to participate on this condition,” said Dmytro Kuleba.
The UN at the center of expectations
The latter, however, continued to define the contours of this summit that he claims. For him, it will have to be held at the UN headquarters. “We believe that the United Nations would be the best place to organize it, because it is not about distinguishing this or that country. It is mainly about getting everyone around one table and there is no better place for that than the UN,” said Dmytro Kuleba.
The foreign minister also envisions UN executives as masters of ceremonies, and Antonio Guterres in particular: “The United Nations Secretary General was one of the first international officials my president spoke to about the summit.” Turning praise from him to the secretary general, Dmytro Kuleba judged: “He has proven to be an effective mediator and an effective negotiator and, what is most important, he has proven to be a man of principle and honesty.”
Echoing Putin
But mistrust in Russia flared again when the Ukrainian foreign minister told the AP about the underlying goal of this hypothetical summit: “We must not allow Russia to manipulate the conclusion of peace because it regularly says it is ready to negotiate, which it is not.” certain”. since everything they do on the battlefield proves otherwise.”
A projection that echoes Vladimir Putin’s televised speech the day before in Russia. In fact, the Russian president launched: “We are ready to negotiate acceptable solutions with all the actors involved, but it depends on them, it is not us who refuse to negotiate, it is them.”
The autocrat again accused Ukraine and its allies of wanting to “divide historic Russia” and said he intends to “preserve the Russian-speaking (Ukrainian) territories invaded by his forces.” Russian claim on Donbass and Crimea that Ukraine does not want to hear about.
Suffice it to say that the war should not end immediately. Dmytro Kuleba insisted to journalists: “Any war ends diplomatically. Any war ends because of actions on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. But the balance of what will be won on the battlefield and in table”.
Source: BFM TV
