A prerequisite for the likely start of negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation could be the withdrawal of Russian troops. Still, the Russian Federation will not agree to this, the Russian oppositionist says.
Russia could negotiate with Ukraine if it began to withdraw its troops from the occupied territories, but the Russian Federation will not agree. The Kremlin wants negotiations to stop the advance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and buy time to regroup, build up its forces, and insist on its own.
This was stated in an interview with TSN.ua by the Russian oppositionist and blogger Mark Feygin.
"Any negotiations are probably possible if Moscow begins to withdraw its troops at this very moment. Apparently not directly, but through intermediaries, negotiations are possible," Feygin believes.
According to him, withdrawing Russian troops from the right bank of the Dnieper, the occupied territories after February 24, could be the prerequisite for the likely start of negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
âStart discussing the status of Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Take responsibility for the destroyed critical infrastructure, why not? This, of course, will contribute to negotiations, first through intermediaries and later, possibly, directly. be unilaterally and immediately, but they (the leadership of the Russian Federation - ed.) do not offer this. They say: âLetâs start negotiations, and you stop the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stop shelling military depots, headquarters, and we will start negotiations and talk slowly,â Feygin says.
The oppositionist recalled the March talks between the parties in Turkey, in which the Russian Federation refused the offer to cease fire. And now the situation has changed for Russia.
âThen the Russian delegation was headed by Medinsky and Slutsky. They said:â No, this does not affect in any way, we are negotiating, and hostilities take their course. âThey were then convinced that why stop the offensive, you could use negotiations and occupy everything from a position of strength, more and more new territories. But now the situation has changed. Look how radically. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are advancing and now they themselves want to use the negotiations to stop the offensive, cease fire. But now this will not work out. In order to be positioned for negotiations, troops must be withdrawn. This is a very simple solution, and it does not require a ceasefire,â the oppositionist says.
However, according to Feygin, the Russian Federation will not agree to the withdrawal of troops from the occupied territories of Ukraine.
"I think that they will not agree to this, and I think that this is all nothing more than maneuvers in order to buy time, regroup, bring up weapons and insist on their own. Yes, they apparently are determined to they were left with four occupied regions. Still, then they can talk about "demilitarization", about not joining NATO, etc., which is absolutely impossible," he summed up.