The hope that the war would end, the fear that it was all in vain, the realization that to achieve better conditions banks were needed. In Ukraine, difficult days have been a daily occurrence for almost four years, but perhaps difficult days like these are not the days that mark a fundamental crossroads. “True peace is always based on guarantees of security and justice,” said Volodymyr Zelensky. And Donald Trump’s plan, which appears to be a joint US-Russian plan, does not provide any special security for Ukraine, but it certainly provides little justice. And the fact that Trump himself said last night that no, the proposed plan is not necessarily the final plan, and that this is not a “take it or leave it” offer, is lighting a fire of hope for Kiev.
In fact, there are several things that Kiev cannot, or at least find it very difficult to give up. The territory presented is too broad. The condition of the army and disarmament determined the conditions for a possible new invasion of Russia in the future. And an amnesty against war crimes certainly cannot please those defending their homeland from invasion who have witnessed many tragic episodes of crimes against humanity. The Ukrainian president, after his dramatic speech on Friday, seems more convinced that conditions can change for the better and for this reason he has chosen a delegation for talks with allies who “know how to protect Ukraine’s national interests and know exactly what is necessary to prevent Russia from a third invasion”, to ensure “that no one in Europe or in the world can implement the principle that crimes against society and against humanity are rewarded or forgiven”.
So, here is the European side, committed to the dual role of staying close to Kiev and at the same time embarking on strong moral suasion towards the White House. Europe was shocked because, according to a Financial Times report, no leader on the Old Continent had expected a plan so harsh on Kiev and favorable to Moscow, so much so that many said the draft agreement appeared to have been written in Russian and then translated into English.
The Ukrainian team that will meet from today in Geneva with American and Russian envoys will include its main collaborator, Andriy Yermak, Rustam Umerov, secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine who will lead a delegation that will also include defense intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, chief of staff Andrii Hnatov, head of foreign intelligence agency Ivashchenko, deputy foreign minister Sergiy Kyslytsya, NSDC deputy secretary Yevhen Ostryansky, vice president of the security service Oleksandr Poklad and advisers Yermak Oleksandr Bevz. A team selected for “talks at the highest level”, Umerov explained, aware of the fact that the stakes are very high for Kiev. Also convinced that alone, he cannot achieve any goals.
Therefore, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Zelensky informally discussed the US plan with key European partners. A “timely and meaningful” call, with leaders and envoys of European countries supporting Ukraine to discuss “in detail the elements of the peace proposal put forward by the United States and our cooperation to pave the way for a just peace”, Sybiha said. Therefore, Europe’s role is very decisive because they do not want to be taken over brutally by Washington. “It is Russia that is making demands. It is Russia that is threatening. And now, if we think we are offering them something, then in reality they are getting something that they did not get before”, explained the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, reposting her speech at the 2022 Munich Security Conference when she was Prime Minister of Estonia. Kallas added a quote from former Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, describing the Soviet Union’s negotiating tactics, making three points. First: demand the maximum. Don’t ask, but demand. Second: deliver an ultimatum, threaten.
Third: Don’t admit anything during negotiations. Because there will always be someone in the West who has something to offer you. And in the end, something you didn’t have before,” warns Kallas. Because, it turns out, history can repeat itself. And again.
