Two Choices
Increasing evidence has shown that the West sabotaged any peace efforts to end the war. Ukraine's destruction was ensured in the process.
In the early stages of the war in Ukraine, it soon became clear that the West had two options or choices regarding how it would conduct its approach to handling the conflict. The first option would be to acknowledge Russia’s legitimate national security concerns, recognize the blatant role NATO (the U.S.) played in provoking the conflagration, and scrounge up any and all opportunities to promote dialogue and peace talks to end the war and alleviate the suffering of the parties involved. The second would consist of continuing to fund the Ukrainian war effort to the tune of billions, sabotaging and thwarting diplomacy at every turn, and adhering to the longstanding U.S. goal to “weaken” Russia through Ukraine as a proxy.
Of course, the second option was the path the West ultimately chose. Ever since the commencement of the war, mounting evidence has shown that the collective West has destroyed any peace efforts to stop the bloodshed. Recent revelations add to that pile. On June 17, during a conference with an African peace delegation, Russian President Vladimir Putin displayed a never-before-seen abandoned peace treaty that Kyiv had reportedly signed in April of last year.
The “Treaty on the Permanent Neutrality and Security Guarantees for Ukraine” stipulated that Ukraine instate “permanent neutrality” in its Constitution. Further, Ukraine would agree to limit its armed forces in accordance with the guidelines set within the treaty and vacate all attempts to become a NATO member. Rather than pursue NATO membership, Kyiv would instead receive security guarantees from several countries. Additionally, Ukraine would recognize Russia’s control over Crimea and sections of the Donbas region, in which there is a majority of ethnic Russians who don’t wish to be ruled by Ukraine.
At the time, because talks were steadily progressing between the two warring sides, Russia removed troops from the north and around the capital city of Kyiv as a gesture of goodwill. As Russia “drastically” reduced its military operations near Kyiv, the U.S. sent then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Ukraine to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky not to negotiate with Putin and instead “press” him militarily. Shortly thereafter, because of the immense pressure from the West, the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia were abruptly broken off by Kyiv and thrown “into the wastebasket of history.”
Recalling these events to the African peace delegation, Putin made known the details surrounding the agreement. “We did not discuss with the Ukrainian side that this treaty would be classified, but we have never presented it, nor commented on it. This draft agreement was initialed by the head of the Kyiv negotiation team. He put his signature there. Here it is,” he said, displaying the treaty publicly. Putin also expressed understandable skepticism concerning Ukraine’s willingness to stick to the outlines of any future negotiations. “Where are the guarantees that they will not continue to abandon such agreements?” he asked.
Earlier Reporting Vindicates the Treaty’s Validity
Last year, Foreign Affairs reported that Russia and Ukraine “appeared to have tentatively agreed on the outlines of a negotiated interim settlement” in the war’s early stages that would include Moscow withdrawing “to its position on February 23,” recognizing Russia’s control over parts “of the Donbas region and all of Crimea,” and Ukraine promising “not to seek NATO membership and instead receive security guarantees from a number of countries.” The report adequately aligns with what has been recently disclosed about the discarded April 2022 treaty.
In early May 2022, Ukrainska Pravda reported on Boris Johnson’s visit to Kyiv to halt any further Ukrainian talks with the Kremlin. The Ukrainian media outlet noted that negotiations “came to a halt” a mere three days after Johnson visited the capital, reporting that even if Kyiv was ready for a negotiated settlement at that time, Ukraine’s Western allies were not. In October, Zelensky signed into law a decree declaring diplomacy with Moscow an “impossibility.” Ukraine and its allies have maintained their bitter hostility toward diplomacy ever since, even though the Kremlin always kept the door open for peace.
In early February of this year, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett disclosed that the West abnegated his own peace efforts early in the war. “There was a legitimate decision by the West to keep striking Putin and not to negotiate,’’ Bennett said. “They broke off the negotiations, and then it seemed to me that they were wrong.” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu added to the notion that the U.S. and others were deliberately dismantling peace in favor of prolonging the conflict, saying in April 2022, “There are those who want this war to continue” so that Russia “gets weaker.”
Peace Was the Only Sane Option
Looking back, a negotiated peace settlement appears to be an infinitely superior option for Ukraine as a whole. Since that time in the early stages of the war, Ukraine has suffered enormous casualties, Russia has conquered more ground, and the Ukrainian war effort has deteriorated mightily. It is near impossible that Russia loses this war, irrespective of the many lies peddled in the Western media.
The much-vaunted Ukrainian counteroffensive is faring terribly for the West, as no discernible gains have been made or are likely to be made against the formidable Russian defense lines across the east and south. A large number of German and American tanks used thus far in the counteroffensive have been either obliterated or captured by Russian forces. As Ukraine’s military embarrassments mount, Kyiv will doubtless turn to conducting attacks inside Russia, hoping to provoke an exaggerated Russian response and drag NATO into the war.
Meanwhile, any suggestions for a ceasefire are immediately shut down by U.S. officials, who deem such a proposal as a “reward” to Putin that would only solidify Moscow’s “land grab” and give Russian forces more time to recuperate and consolidate strength. So long as the Biden administration remains in charge harboring this mindset, peace isn’t approaching anytime soon.
In the end, Washington had two choices earlier in the war. Either to simply recognize Russia’s authority over Crimea and the Donbas and Ukraine’s neutrality, or to have countless Ukrainians die, pave the road for Kyiv’s complete demilitarization, and make possible the eventual ousting of the Ukrainian government. As the West chose the latter path, Ukraine’s utter annihilation was ensured.
When you already have companies like Blackrock pre approved for the rebuilding, the big picture becomes more obvious.