Revealed: The near-miss peace talks between Russia and Ukraine

Startling reports from "Foreign Affairs" about the classified details concerning the conflict between Russia and Kyiv have surfaced. It turns out that talks which could have immediately ended the bloodshed were held after the outbreak of the war. However, a ceasefire did not occur.

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Political scientists Samuel Charap and Sergey Radchenko have published sensational news about the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Foreign Affairs. According to the authors, the countries' delegations, which started peace talks four days after the Kremlin's aggression, almost finalized an agreement. This conflict could have been nipped in the bud. However, matters took a different turn.

The Russian invasion of its neighbour's territory occurred on February 24, 2022. After the initial events on the front, the diplomatic efforts that were underway could have ended the fighting.

Political scientists Samuel Charap and Sergey Radchenko analyzed the negotiated proposals for agreements between both sides. They did not come to light on the days when stunning reports of war episodes dominated the media. Now, these peace meetings, which failed, have come to the attention of officials. Their findings are astonishing.

Diplomatic talks were initially held on the territory of Belarus. The delegations met in one of Lukashenko's rural residences near the village of Laskaviche. The Ukrainian delegation was led by a close associate of Volodymyr Zelensky, David Arakhamia, and the Russian corps was headed by advisor to Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Medinsky.

The stance of Russian diplomats was not different from what we officially know about the Russian assault. Moscow presented a series of harsh conditions, ultimately demanding Ukraine's surrender. The conditions were not accepted, but the talks continued.

The situation on the front verified Russia's position. Subsequent rounds of talks took place in Kamianyuk near the Polish border in the first week of March. Ukraine demanded an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of humanitarian corridors. These were to protect the population, which, contrary to all international laws, had been paying a high price for the Russian aggression from the first days of the invasion.

According to Foreign Affairs, a draft document was created on March 7. The treaty envisioned Ukraine as a "permanently neutral and non-nuclear" state. Kyiv was to renounce membership in defence alliances and ensure that the state would never be an area where forces from any other country were present.

However, Ukraine was to have the right to join the European Union. The issue of Crimea was to be resolved within the next 10-15 years.

In May, suddenly, the work was interrupted. The breakdown of these negotiations had several reasons, among them that Kyiv's Western partners were "reluctant to negotiate with Russia" and sceptical of the provisions concerning the obligation to ensure Ukraine's security.

"The West increased military aid to Kyiv and increased pressure on Russia, including through an ever-tightening sanctions regime," - reports "Foreign Affairs". The willingness to negotiate dissipated entirely after the discovery of Russian crimes in Irpin and Bucha. Ukraine received assurances of support from the West. This and the determination of Ukraine's defenders provided a basis for thinking about victory.