Details of the “Peace Plan” from the words of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine

According to Isna, while Kiev anxiously waits for the US presidential election and its outcome, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rostam Umerov explained in an interview the so-called “peace” plan of President Volodymyr Zelensky. How Ukraine intends to hold the line and pressure Russia to negotiate a “fair” peace solution.

The Washington Post wrote with this introduction: Zelensky’s peace plan presented to Europe last week appears to be a strategy to force negotiations with Putin rather than a military plan to recapture all Russian-controlled territory. This will be a practical step for Ukraine.

Umerov explained that a key element of the victory plan is Ukraine’s request for a quick invitation to join NATO after the war ends. The Biden administration is considering this option, but fears it would give Russia an incentive to prolong the war rather than end it. The second part is defense, which Umerov defined as: “maintain the line and create favorable conditions for driving the enemy out.” The third part is “deterrence,” which includes deep strikes on military targets in Russia to prevent attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure in Ukraine.

According to the American media, when it comes to negotiations with the Russians, Umerov, who is considered a controversial figure in Ukraine, has been one of the most effective representatives of Kiev. In the first months of the war, he negotiated with Roman Abramovich, who was close to Putin. Their talks in Istanbul in March 2022 broke down amid reports that the two had been poisoned. But this communication channel remained open until the end of the same year and achieved gradual success.

Umerov told The Washington Post that in the secretive 2022 talks, there were several avenues of negotiation through international partners. These efforts led to the creation of a humanitarian corridor that allowed 400,000 people to leave Russian-controlled territories, the exchange of prisoners of war, political prisoners and wounded soldiers, and a grain export agreement that allowed Ukraine to transport Resume through the Black Sea.

He said the United States was always aware of the calls, “because we were always consulting either way.”

U.S. officials confirmed the secret talks took place in 2022, when Russia threatened to use tactical nuclear weapons. When asked if such talks were still ongoing, Umerov replied that “the humanitarian path is still open.”

According to Washington Post, Umerov has tried to deal with 2 military weaknesses of Ukraine; Corruption in procurement and lack of manpower, but these steps have also created enemies for him.

One of these controversial measures was the new conscription law, which lowers the military age from 27 to 25 and recruits Ukrainians to serve. Ukrainian generals proposed this move to combat Russia’s manpower advantage over Ukraine. Umerov said that when he first called for the Mobilization of Forces Act, some members of parliament told him that it was politically toxic and warned him that “it’s better to drink from Chernobyl than to touch this issue.” “

But the mobilization plan is now law, and Umerov said five million Ukrainians have already signed up. He explained that instead of forcing recruits to go to the front lines, they were asked how they wanted to serve in the war.

On the other hand, corruption has been a persistent problem in Ukraine’s military procurement. Umerov noted that some Western partners have complained about dealings with a company called Special Techno Export (STE), which is overseen by the military intelligence service known as GUR, headed by Kyrlov Budanov. The company has been notorious for its involvement in money laundering scandals, a new report suggests.

Umerov is trying to bring STE under the control of the Ministry of Defense by setting up an audit system to monitor transactions with STE.

The American newspaper continued: However, as the US elections approach, the most essential part of Zelensky’s victory plan will probably be to request a quick invitation to join NATO. The Biden administration is examining historical records that could allow it to become a member of NATO while Russia still controls parts of Ukraine. One example was West Germany’s membership in NATO while East Germany was still occupied by Russian forces. Another case is Norway, which joined NATO in 1949 on the condition that it would not allow foreign bases or forces on its territory or nuclear weapons in its ports.

Defense Minister of Ukraine emphasized: such details are issues for later. We want the invitation first.

For the Biden administration, which is thinking about its legacy, finalizing a strategy that protects Ukraine now and creating a platform for future negotiations should be a priority. “We showed you we can do it,” Orov said. But now we need help.

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