To be or not to be is not a matter of compromise

Abstract

On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched a full-scale war against Ukraine. Right from the fourth day after the invasion, peace negotiations between the aggressor and the victim of aggression continue (with interruptions). From the point of view of Ukraine, their main goal is a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Russian troops from the occupied territories, punishment of criminals, compensation for the damage caused, and the signing of an agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine.

Issues of war and peace, national security are perhaps the most important in international relations. In addition, it is not about the solution of some local or regional conflict, but about the very existence of Ukraine. «To be or not to be is not a matter of compromise. It’s either for you to be, or not to be,» - these words spoken by Golda Meir regarding Israel, are more positively perceived in Ukraine than ever before. Ukraine sees guarantees of its security in joining the North Atlantic Alliance and close cooperation with the European Union. The words of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, are indicative in this context: «I would like to say to all our partners, who are constantly looking for compromises on Ukraine’s path to NATO, that our country will be uncompromising on this issue.»

On this path, Ukraine finds a deeper understanding with the countries of the «consolidated West» every day. In particular, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Annalena Berbock, drew attention: more than 140 countries have repeatedly traveled to Moscow to make Russian President Vladimir Putin understand the perniciousness of war for the whole world. Each of these countries believed that they could convince Putin and incline him to peace, but were disappointed to see that the Kremlin superior is not interested in peace negotiations, because his goal is to destroy Ukraine.

Similarly, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken concluded that there is no evidence that the Kremlin is capable of genuine negotiations on ending aggression against Ukraine. Rather, on the contrary, there are clear indications of the opposite: «Just listen to what Putin is saying. He declares that there is no point in entering into negotiations until Ukraine recognizes the «new territorial reality.» In other words, until Ukraine admits that Russia has seized its territories forever, they will not talk.» Under these conditions, Blinken believes, the US, along with other countries, has undertaken to support Ukraine and protect its territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence: «This includes a counteroffensive that will probably begin in the coming weeks.» Meanwhile, the London edition of The Financial Times reported with reference to the words of the deputy of the President’s Office, Andrii Sybiga, that Ukraine is ready to discuss with Russia the issue of temporarily occupied Crimea, if the Ukrainian military reaches the administrative border of the peninsula. This statement caused a stir among those circles in the West who are skeptical of Ukraine’s ability to regain the peninsula and fear that an attempt to liberate Crimea by force could push Putin to escalate the war, possibly with the use of nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, the president of Ukraine has the final say on matters of foreign policy. And on this occasion, Volodymyr Zelenskyy ruled out the possibility of peace negotiations with the Russian Federation until Russian troops liberate the entire territory of Ukraine, including Crimea.

It will be possible to sit down at the negotiating table with those people who will voluntarily withdraw Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine. Then the real diplomatic format will begin. However, Zelensky noted, «if we forcefully knock them all out, then there is nothing to talk about with such people in general. Because we will lose people. There will be many victims. What to talk about with these people at all. They must be isolated and non-manual. That’s all».

In his speeches, the President of Ukraine recalled how even before the start of the large-scale invasion, he asked many state leaders to put the head of the Kremlin regime at the negotiating table. Nowadays, such a problem has disappeared: «Now we can’t, it’s not the same person anymore, there’s no one to talk to.» Zelenskyi realizes that Ukraine’s success in the alleged negotiations is guaranteed only by victories on the battlefield, and dictator Putin will have to answer for the crimes committed.

Our allies in the USA adhere to the principle: «Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.» President Zelensky, in turn, is open to the will of Ukrainians. As the sociological studies of the American National Democratic Institute testify, the Ukrainian people are not in the mood for territorial concessions until the end of hostilities. Back in May 2022, 59% of respondents believed that Ukraine should conduct negotiations with Russia in order to achieve peace, and 37% – that it should not do so. And already in January 2023, only 29% of respondents believed that Ukraine should conduct negotiations with Russia in order to achieve peace, while 66% were convinced that this should not be done.

As evidenced by a survey by the Razumkov Center, more than 70% of Ukrainians do not consider negotiations with an aggressor country to be an effective way to achieve peace. The number of those who would agree to the withdrawal of Russian troops to the line on February 23, 2022, in February-March 2023 was 18% (65% disagreed). Those who support the withdrawal of Russian troops to the 1991 border made up 61% (disagree - 21%). Therefore, based on the will of the people,