In a concession to the Kremlin’s demands, Ukrainian President Zelensky told Russian journalists that his country was ready to abandon its push for NATO membership prior to the resumption of negotiations.
On Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that his government is “carefully” considering a Russian demand for Ukrainian neutrality, a key point of contention as negotiators from both sides prepare for a new round of talks aimed at ending the brutal month-long war.
“This point of the negotiations makes sense to me, and it is being discussed and carefully studied,” Zelensky said in an interview with several independent Russian news organizations. He went on to say that after Russian troops leave, the issue of neutrality – and agreeing to stay out of Nato – should be put to Ukrainian voters in a referendum. Russia quickly prohibited the publication of Mr Zelensky’s interview.
The UN estimates that at least 1,100 civilians have died and more than 10 million have been displaced as a result of a devastating war that has lasted far longer than Moscow’s leaders anticipated.
What issues are preventing a peace treaty from being reached?
One of the most significant impediments to reaching a peace agreement is disputed territory. Russia invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014, while the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region became Russian-backed separatist areas.
Ukraine maintains sovereignty over the regions and has demanded that Russian troops leave. Officials have stated that they will not accept annexation of their territory or recognize the rebel regions backed by Russia.
Russia has also insisted that Ukraine remain neutral, with Vladimir Putin demanding written guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO. The status of the Russian language and Russian-speaking people in Ukraine is also a major concern for Moscow, which has previously expressed concern that Kyiv may develop nuclear weapons.
What does “neutral status” mean?
After Russia annexed Crimea, Ukraine voted in 2014 to abandon its neutrality, which had prevented it from seeking NATO membership. Russia has insisted on Ukraine remaining neutral, with its own non-aligned military.
However, in 2019, an amendment to Ukraine’s constitution stated that Nato membership was a top priority for the country. During the ongoing peace talks, Moscow’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky stated that Ukraine has suggested armed neutrality similar to Austria or Sweden, outside of Nato but with its own army, though Kyiv has denied this claim.
Mr. Medinsky stated that there have been discussions about the size of the Ukrainian army. Officials in Ukraine have suggested that neutrality with security guarantees could be a viable alternative to Nato membership.
Mr. Zelensky appeared to extend an olive branch to Russia on March 16 when he admitted that Ukraine was unlikely to join the North Atlantic alliance.”The real issue for Ukraine is hard security guarantees, similar to those that NATO members have,” Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
What else did President Zelensky emphasize?
Mr Zelensky, in a 90-minute Zoom call with four prominent Russian journalists on Sunday, which the Kremlin attempted to obstruct, urged Mr. Putin to meet in a neutral country to continue peace talks.
He urged Russians to “support the truth,” with Moscow’s communications watchdog warning national news outlets not to publish the interview. Ukrainian President said: “Security guarantees and neutrality, non-nuclear status of our state. We are ready to go for it. This is the most important point.”
Mr. Zelensky also stated that Ukraine would not discuss some Russian demands, such as demilitarization, and that no peace deal could be reached without a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops. However, he stated that he is willing to “compromise” on the eastern Donbas region, which is held by Russian-backed forces.
Edited by Subbuthai Padma
Published by Iram Rizvi
