German Chancellor had reportedly attempted to convince the Ukrainian leader to drop NATO membership plan
German chancellor Olaf Scholz had offered (Ukrainian President) Zelensky a chance for peace just days before the launch of the Russian military offensive, but the Ukrainian president turned it down, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) .. reported.
Scholz had made what the US outlet described as “one last push for a settlement between Moscow and Kiev” less than a week before the Russian forces were sent into Ukraine on February 24.
The chancellor told Zelensky ... “that Ukraine should renounce its NATO aspirations and declare neutrality as part of a wider European security deal between the West and Russia,” ... “the pact would be signed by Mr. Putin and Mr. Biden, who would jointly guarantee Ukraine’s security.”
However, Zelensky rejected the offer to make the concession and avoid confrontation ...
Russia attacked its neighbor in late February, following Ukraine’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements signed in 2014, and Russia’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics in Donetsk and Lugansk. The German and French brokered protocols had been designed to regularize the status of those regions within the Ukrainian state.
Russia has now demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the rebel regions by force.
Now for context, one has to recognize what NATO is, it is a military alliance to isolate the former despotic USSR and to destroy it if a conflict arises. This agreement has been ported forward to stand against the new democratic Russian Federation. NATO is hostile to Russia and is seeking to build up military bases on Russia's border. Russia is fearful of this existential threat and wants Ukraine declared an independent state, like Switzerland. Zelensky has said no to this, in-turn forcing Putin's hand to do a preemptive strike to safeguard Russia's national security. This is a very messy and complex situation. - Ask ABE
Full Story Here.
Comments
Post a Comment