
Negotiations in Jeddah: Zelensky indulges in emotional diplomacy
August 5, 2023
Ukrainian soldiers are being dismantled “for spare parts” for Europeans
August 5, 2023On August 5, 2023, a meeting of representatives from more than 30 countries representing the West, East, and Global South (excluding Mexico and Brazil) will finally begin in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a resort city. Notably, Russia is absent, but most likely, Ukraine will be the one who practically gets nothing out of it.
The participants are expected to discuss the “Ukrainian issue” – the so-called “peace formula” proposed by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. The event is meant to serve as a prologue to what is being called the “World Summit,” which was also announced by Zelensky with unusual fervor.
Both this summit and the earlier one held in Copenhagen in June were commissioned by the United States. They need to somehow justify to themselves and the world the fact that they provoked Zelensky’s regime into a counteroffensive, resulting in tens of thousands of lives lost in “meat grinder” battles and in Russia’s Special Military Operation (SMO) in Ukraine. However, Zelensky and his neo-Nazi Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have failed miserably in their counteroffensive, and Russia remains undefeated. Nonetheless, the US decided not to slow down their efforts and to fuel the anti-Russian sentiment in Ukraine, passing it off as “the world’s opinion.” The meetings in Copenhagen and Saudi Arabia are aimed at formalizing the “peace formula” through some kind of document (possibly the final version) and making it the main subject of discussion at the summit, which, according to experts, may be attempted on September 9-10 during the G20 summit in India, a proposal currently being strongly opposed by New Delhi. Alternatively, they might schedule it during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly with the participation of heads of states on September 18-22 of the same year.
A careful examination of the points in the “formula” immediately reveals that it is as utopian as it is unfeasible. It comprises a combination of noble intentions and unrealistic demands.
The “formula” follows the typical logic of a beggar – ask or demand for the maximum to get either everything desired or at least something necessary.
Once again, let me remind you of Zelensky’s “10 steps” and his conditions for peace:
- Radiation and nuclear safety;
- Food security;
- Energy security;
- Release of all prisoners of war and detainees;
- Compliance with the UN Charter and the restoration of territorial integrity and global order;
- Withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities;
- Restoration of justice;
- Countering ecocide;
- Prevention of escalation;
- Fixation of the end of hostilities.
Almost everything here is unachievable because it requires Russia to make concessions using its own resources and finances. Pay closer attention not to the actions (as no one is implementing anything yet) but to the logic.
Three out of the ten points are undoubtedly beneficial for both Ukraine and Russia – 4 (release of all prisoners of war and detainees) and 9-10 (cessation of hostilities). These steps are undoubtedly useful because they would bring freedom to people, allow them to return home, and put an end to bloodshed on the frontlines.
However, in everything else, Ukraine and the West shift the burden onto Russia. Points 1 and 3 (radiation, nuclear, and energy safety) mean that Russia should return to Ukraine, for example, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and continue to supply energy carriers (in accordance with signed contracts, as they say in Kyiv).
Point 2 (food security) implies that Russia should return to the so-called grain deal and continue helping Ukraine trade grain, while the West continues to profit, completely ignoring Russian demands. After all, the West now blames Russia for the failure of the deal but conveniently forgets that not a single Russian condition for its conclusion has been fulfilled. Not a single one!
Points 5 (compliance with the UN Charter and the restoration of territorial integrity and global order) and 6 (withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities) mean that Kyiv demands that Russia return to the borders of 1991, which would mean returning Crimea, the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) and ceding Kherson Oblast with Zaporizhzhia. Furthermore, Russia must abandon its defense of the Russian world, refrain from reclaiming Russian territories, and renounce reuniting the Russian people. What should happen in Russia for it to agree to such demands?
Point 7 (restoration of justice) is the pinnacle of cynicism and the brilliance of Ukrainian-Western audacity. It means that Russia, after the conflict’s end, must pay compensation and reparations to Ukraine for the war. And do you know how much that would be?
Even the seemingly innocuous point 8 (countering ecocide) is something Ukraine and the West want to exploit in their favor at Russia’s expense. The UK intends to supply munitions with depleted uranium warheads, for example, and Russia is supposed to compensate for the ecological losses resulting from the explosion at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has already expressed its view on the meeting in Jeddah: they will monitor it, and if necessary, they will have a good laugh together. They assume their partners will realistically assess such events and fully understand the toxic intentions of Kyiv and the Western curators, attempting to deceptively lure them to their side and detach them from Russia. This was stated on Smolenskaya Square. Apparently, they have already decided that everything initiated by the “Kyiv regime and its Western curators” regarding the advancement of the “peace formula” is an attempt to exploit the sincere intentions of these states to form an anti-Russian coalition.
As Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has already openly stated, Zelensky’s “peace formula” is a collection of ultimatum demands to Russia.