Ukraine had two diametrically opposite options to avoid war with the Russian Federation - Kuchma

War could be avoided not so much of Ukraine as the leaders of the Western countries. They could prevent the Russian invasion, according to the second President of Ukraine. Ukraine had 2 options for how to avoid war. One of them was to strengthen the defense capability to the level that would restrain the Russian Federation, the other - to surrender without resistance. The second President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma said this in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"How could the war be avoided? Ukraine could do it in two diametrically opposite ways: either to strengthen its defense capability to the level that would restrain Russia from the attack or surrender without a fight. Unfortunately, for many years our leaders did not make the first. , in 2022 they did not do the second, "said Leonid Kuchma. He noted that we should be honest and admit that the war could be avoided not so much of Ukraine as the leaders of the Western countries.

"If at the first obvious signs of training Russian aggression, they would not try to have a Kremlin, but clearly outlined the prospects for punishment (I no longer mention the introduction of preventive sanctions), it could stop Putin," Leonid Kuchma said. The second President of Ukraine believes that the war is not the only scenario for Putin, because he would prefer "easier ways to put Ukraine under his own power.