Remarks on the Ukrainian crisis

We have noticed the article signed by the French, German, British and Ukrainian ambassadors, which appeared lately in the Jordanian press, and dedicated to the events in Ukraine. From our part, in a discussion format, we would like to express our thoughts on the matter.

The current crisis in Ukraine did not emerge a year ago. In fact, it has been brewing for almost nine years already, since the moment radical forces came to power in Kiev. 

At that time, a civil war was avoided there due to the active mediation of Russia. In February 2015, the “Minsk agreements” were signed and soon after adopted by the UN Security Council. The document has become the only valid legal basis for internal Ukrainian settlement. Nevertheless, Kiev sabotaged performance of its obligations, while the West turned a blind eye to that. Neither France, nor Germany, which were the cosponsors of the Minsk process, did anything to make Ukraine implement the agreement. Later in December 2022, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and France former president Francois Holland admitted that the Minsk agreements were needed solely to give Kiev some time to strengthen the Ukrainian army but not to stop the war.

The rise to power of Zelenskiy in 2019 did not lead to any positive changes. Instead, under the influence of internal and external forces he continued to sabotage the agreements, imitate the peace process, delaying it under a false pretext. All this time the Ukrainian military forces were shelling Donbass. 

Zelenskiy’s claims that his country wishes to possess a nuclear weapon, declared by him publicly at the Munich security conference in February 2022, caused a serious concern and posed a real threat to Russia and the international community.

Finally, we were left with no other choice than to recognise on February 21, 2022 the independence of Donetsk People’s Republic and Lugansk People’s Republic and on February 24, 2022 to start the special military operation (SMO) to protect Donbass, and to eliminate the threats to the security of Russia, emanating from Ukraine.

Now we are deeply concerned by the continued pumping of weapons into Ukraine from the outside. Thus, the principle of “arming Ukraine is the path to peace”, coined by the NATO Secretary General I. Stoltenberg, is being implemented. In Kiev they do not talk about peace either, rejecting the very idea of a dialog with Russia. Moreover, Zelenskiy has signed a decree of “impossibility” of talks with the president of Russia. At the same time, he does not stop repeating that Ukraine will fight to the victorious end. 

Taking into account the fact that Kiev is not ready for a diplomatic solution, we will be ready to consider any serious proposals from the West once they are presented. 

We do not share the opinion expressed by our colleagues that it is Moscow who is to blame for the food and energy crises that the whole world is currently going through. In fact, the real reasons for that are sanctions and limitations of different kinds imposed on Russia by the USA and Europe. We were and we are still willing to be engaged in fair and mutually-beneficial trade based on generally recognised rules.

We can only welcome the EU help and support provided to the Syrian refugees, including those who reside in Jordan, and to those affected by the catastrophic earthquake in Syria and Turkey. Russia in its national capacity also contributes to these humanitarian efforts.

The writer is the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Jordan