On Feb. 18, representatives from Russia and the USA met in Saudi Arabia to decide if peace in Ukraine is conceivable. Ukrainian representatives weren’t invited.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned on social media that the assembly used to be a step in creating an “enduring peace” between Russia and Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in a media interview that the assembly used to be “very positive” and showed the actual which means of the talks used to be to start out normalising members of the family between Russia and the U.S.
Even supposing U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed “the Russians want to see the war end,” Russian officers stay dedicated to their warfare goals. Russian overseas minister Sergei Lavrov introduced ahead of the conferences that Russia would now not go back Ukrainian territory. After, he mentioned that are meant to a peace deal be brokered, any peacekeeping forces may just now not come from NATO international locations. The latter commentary stunted rising Ecu efforts to increase a safety ensure for Ukraine will have to a ceasefire be reached.
Keith Kellogg, U.S. envoy for Kyiv and Moscow, mentioned after his Feb. 20 assembly with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the U.S. is aligned with the country — and that any finish to the warfare with Russia will have to make certain there’s no “next war”. But White Area officers don’t appear to have Ukraine’s best possible pastime in thoughts in negotiating a possible answer to the warfare.
For example, U.S. Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth introduced on Feb. 12 that the U.S. govt doesn’t imagine NATO club for Ukraine “is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement.” He added that Ukraine would wish to settle for territorial concessions to Russia.
Trump has additionally more and more parroted Russian narratives — corresponding to claiming that Ukraine began the warfare. He has additionally delegitimized Zelenskyy by way of claiming he’s a “dictator” who refuses to carry elections — in spite of the country’s charter mentioning elections can not legally be held underneath martial legislation.
Trump additionally continues to call for 50 according to cent of Ukraine’s herbal sources to pay off the USA for earlier army and fiscal reinforce. This has resulted in a deterioration in Ukrainian-U.S. members of the family at a time the place Russian-U.S. members of the family seem to be bettering.
Ecu leaders have spoke back with frustration. Zelenskyy has made his place transparent that any negotiation will have to come with Ukraine on the desk. Ukraine would now not settle for an imposed peace.
Any strive at negotiating a long-lasting peace between the 2 international locations will have to come with responsibility for Russian crimes.
The realities of Russia’s invasion
American overtures for peace have continuously referred to “stopping the millions of deaths” in Russia’s warfare in Ukraine. Whilst at the floor this objective is admirable, it oversimplifies the realities of what the ultimate 3 years of warfare have carried out to Ukraine. Particularly, Russian forces have dedicated intensive warfare crimes and atrocity in Ukraine.
Russian forces barrage Ukraine with drone moves and terror bombing — together with focused on civilians. At the same time as negotiations had been taking place in Saudi Arabia, Russian drones struck Odesa, injuring 4 civilians. This used to be the newest in a protracted line of such assaults. Global Felony Courtroom (ICC) arrest warrants are out for Russian army leaders on simply this factor.
U.S. Particular Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg, left, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy communicate right through their assembly in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 20, 2025.
(AP Photograph/Evgeniy Maloletka)
The Ukrainian govt has showed over 19,500 Ukrainian youngsters had been kidnapped by way of Russian forces. However in July 2023, Russian officers claimed they’d over 700,000 Ukrainian youngsters in Russian territory.
Investigative reporting confirms the Russian govt is assimilating those youngsters — forcing them to prevent talking Ukrainian and elevating them with a Russian id. Those movements have additionally resulted in ICC arrest warrants for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Kids’s Rights Commissioner who oversees this system. Russia’s movements violate the UN Genocide Conference.
Popular sexual attack by way of Russian forces has been documented in opposition to Ukrainian women and men. Torture chambers have additionally been present in liberated towns. Russian forces dedicated mass homicide in a couple of Ukrainian towns — underscored by way of the invention of mass graves in Bucha, Izium and Lyman.
Mariupol, as soon as a town of over 400,000 has been decreased to a inhabitants of 120,000 as of 2023. This showcases the devastation brought about by way of Russian forces. Russia has additionally began seizing constructions to offer to Russian settlers to additional Russify town.
The realities underneath Russian profession are most effective in part recognized. The Russian govt has demanded Ukrainians residing underneath profession forfeit their Ukrainian id paperwork and acquire Russian passports. In colleges, Russia has absolutely applied its nationalistic curriculum, which contains “anti-Ukrainian propaganda” aimed toward assimilating Ukrainian youngsters.
In opposition to world legislation, forcible Russification of the Ukrainian folks has change into a not unusual characteristic of Russian profession right through this warfare.
Ukraine’s struggle for justice
Ukraine continues to struggle in opposition to Russian profession. Whilst it’s honourable to wish to prevent the deaths brought about by way of combating, the Russian regime’s movements in Ukrainian territory will have to be remembered too.
That is why justice is solely as essential as answer. Whilst it’s not likely Russian officers will to find themselves ahead of the ICC, there will have to be some type of responsibility for Russian crimes in opposition to Ukraine if peace is negotiated. Whilst provide frontlines might dictate the place Ukraine could also be compelled to cede territory or freeze warfare, the realities of Russian aggression can’t be overlooked.
Right here, historical past gives a information for what shouldn’t be carried out this time when brokering a peace deal.
All through the 2nd Global Struggle, Soviet forces dedicated intensive warfare crimes and atrocities. But the Soviet Union by no means confronted a reckoning for the ones acts. Russian officers take into accout this. Because of this, Putin feels empowered to dedicate equivalent atrocities in Ukraine — believing Russia, simply because the Soviet Union, received’t face any penalties.
For any chance of lasting peace, responsibility and justice for Russian warfare crimes will have to be at the vanguard of negotiations. Another way, Russia could have discovered it will probably act with impunity — threatening the chance of putting up with peace for Ukraine.
