[Epoch Times, March 16, 2022](The Epoch Times reporter Li Xin comprehensive report) The Kremlin said on Wednesday (March 16) that it was considering a plan proposed by Kyiv to make Ukraine similar to Austria or Sweden. Neutral country with limited military, hinting that peace talks may be progressing.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Ukraine’s proposal to become neutral but retain its armed forces “could be seen as some kind of compromise,” according to Bloomberg. But he declined to provide further details, only confirming that the idea of a Swedish or Austrian-style neutrality to end the current war is being discussed in Russian-Ukrainian talks.
At present, the two sides are still fighting and talking, and Russia’s military action has not made significant progress. While stubbornly resisting, Ukraine has said that it is ready to end the war through negotiations, but will not surrender or accept Russia’s ultimatum.
“Ukraine is offering an Austrian or Swedish version of a neutral, demilitarized state,” Vladimir Medinsky, Russia’s chief negotiator and presidential aide, told Russian state television, according to Reuters. It is also a country with its own army and navy.”
In a recent call to Ukrainian citizens, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said any peace deal must protect his country from future threats.
“We can and must negotiate a legitimate but sizable peace for Ukraine — a real and effective security guarantee,” he said in a video address.
The war, which has killed thousands and displaced millions of Ukrainians, has also forced both sides to be more aggressive about negotiations.
Mykhaylo Podolyak, Ukraine’s negotiator and adviser to the president, said via text message that Kyiv could only accept a “Ukrainian” model with enforceable security guarantees, according to Bloomberg.
“This means that, in the event of an attack on Ukraine, the signatories of these pledges will not stand idly by as they do today, but will actively take Ukraine’s side in the conflict and formally provide us with the necessary amount of weapons immediately.” Doriac said.
The two sides are scheduled to hold another round of talks on Wednesday. Before Peskov’s comments, Mejinsky said there had been “some progress” in the talks, but some issues remained unresolved, with issues in Crimea and the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine still being The essential.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also hinted at hope of compromise, as he said Moscow’s demand for Ukraine’s neutrality was now under serious discussions, albeit not an easy one.
But he said that on “neutrality” and security assurances, “there are absolutely concrete formulations that, in my opinion, are close to agreement”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia cannot allow Ukraine to join NATO because it would pose a threat to Russia’s security.
Zelensky also said Tuesday that he is aware of the fact that Ukraine cannot join NATO.
Russia sees Austria as a potential role model. The Austrian constitution stipulates that the country must remain neutral and prohibits joining military alliances and establishing foreign military bases on its territory.
As a neutral country, Sweden also freed itself from the devastation of two world wars and the confrontation between the two great blocs of East and West during the Cold War. But the Nordic country has cooperated with NATO since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. After Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Sweden began to gradually increase military spending and seek closer cooperation with NATO.
Responsible editor: Lin Yan#