The agreements were thwarted by ‘powerful forces.’ Schröder stated that Ukraine and Russia could have reached an agreement in 2022

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder stated that during negotiations in Istanbul, Ukraine and Russia were ready to reach an agreement to end the war, but the agreements were disrupted by ‘powerful forces.’

He made this statement while speaking at an event organized by the Swiss publication Weltwoche, as reported by Die Welt.

Schröder claimed that he proposed a compromise for the settlement between Ukraine and Russia.

This plan suggested that the Donbas region would remain part of Ukraine, while Crimea would be given a ‘South Tyrol solution,’ meaning the creation of a Russian enclave. Additionally, the plan ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO.

However, according to Schröder, ‘the government of Volodymyr Zelensky was not able to make a free decision. More powerful circles behind Zelensky would have blocked peace. They probably believed that Russia would be strategically weakened by continuing the fighting. The media and American generals were convinced that they could defeat Putin and remove him from power.’

The former chancellor still considers the war between Ukraine and Russia dangerous, stating that the West underestimates the possibility of escalation.

At the same time, Schröder criticized Putin’s invasion as a ‘serious mistake.’ However, to those who believe in a military victory over Russia, the ex-chancellor advised ‘to look into history textbooks.’

It should be recalled that Schröder previously served as the head of the board of directors of Rosneft. He claims that his friendship with Putin could supposedly help find a solution to end the war in Ukraine.”