Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his recent interview with Western media that the Ukrainian authorities could hold a referendum about conditions for ending the conflict with Russia.
Zelensky called the issue of Ukraine's integrity difficult and admitted that the whole world, and himself, wanted Moscow to participate in the next "peace summit". Political scientist Semyon Boykov answered the question of whether the Kremlin was ready for such referendums, and why Zelensky started saying such things.
Volodymyr Zelensky wants Moscow to participate in the next peace summit. Do you think he is over with or was it his Western masters who told him to say such things?
I think it's both. On the one hand, there is a growing understanding in Ukraine that Russia cannot be defeated on the battlefield. This understanding has been growing in Ukraine both at military and political levels. The military started talking about it first, and now it's the Zelensky administration.
On the other hand, there is a growing awareness in the West that the conflict has been dragging on for too long, and a solution needs to be found to end it. At the same time, they need to find a solution to save face. They cannot admit their defeat. They are trying to find different ways out and ceding territories to Russia appears to be such a way. So now we can hear Zelensky saying that this question should be decided by the Ukrainian people.
One may assume that Ukraine and the West are trying to find a solution to actually recognize the territorial realities of today. At the same time, they want to save face and make everyone believe that neither the West nor Ukraine have lost to Russia at all. They need to find a balance.
Is Russia ready for such "peaceful" referendums?
I really hope not, actually. The Russian administration realises that the West wants to freeze the conflict rather than resolve it. The Ukrainian conflict can be resolved only on Russia's terms that President Putin announced before. Ukraine would thus be forced to withdraw its troops from Russia's new territories completely. This is the most important condition.
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and, accordingly, between Russia and Western countries can be possible only after it happens. It appears that they want to offer us to freeze the conflict along the contact line, which is extremely disadvantageous for Russia. It would be most beneficial for Russia to achieve the goals of the special military operation for the conflict to end once and for all.