It beats Kharkov and talks about peace. What is Putin's double diplomatic game

In the midst of Kharkiv shelling with endless victims, Putin suddenly spoke of peace in Ukraine. Political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko explains how these opposites are connected and what is the diplomatic game of the Kremlin for several days in a row, we have been receiving tragic news from Kharkiv. Daily (usually several times a day) in Kharkiv and adjacent areas strike rockets, managed airbags and drones.

Peaceful people die every day in the capital of Slobozhanshchina and districts of Kharkiv region. At the same time in the north and east of Kharkiv region heavy fights continue. At the same time, both Putin himself and the anonymous sources from the Kremlin (through Reuters news agency) send signals to the International Society about his readiness for peace talks, and almost on the face of freezing conflict.

How to understand this duality of the Kremlin's position and actions? First of all, it should be borne in mind that it is a traditional and favorite style of Putin. He speaks of peace, and at the same time goes the way of war. According to Putin, the escalation of war is the best way to ensure peace on Russian conditions. It is not necessary to confuse the public rhetoric of the Kremlin (and its partners) with real policy.

On the contrary, only the real actions of Russia and its partners, not the statement of peace, especially of the anonymous sources are important. The Kremlin's efforts are now aimed at reducing the level of participation of different countries in the global peace summit and the potential political consequences of this summit that breaks Russia's diplomatic game around its war against Ukraine.

Pseudo -initiatives about the alleged willingness to cease fire in Ukraine wants to distract from the Global Peace Summit, and in the future to switch attention to negotiations on the end of the war in Ukraine on its own conditions. And it is not about freezing the conflict. All the words about the "freezing" of the present war between Russia and Ukraine are just a tactical cover, diplomatic and rhetorical smoke curtain.

It is a "hook", a "trap" that Russia and its allies want to catch some Western politicians and some leaders of the global South. In fact, Russia's goals have not changed. The Kremlin wants peace on the basis of fundamental concessions of Ukraine, including the actual refusal of Ukraine from its army, from the prospect of Ukraine's membership in NATO. One of the new conditions stated by Putin in Minsk is the change of the leadership of Ukraine (President of Zelensky) as a condition for peace talks.

And it also shows that the Kremlin does not want real peace talks, but destabilize the situation in Ukraine, which will allow him to win the war against our country. Of course, Russian requirements are unacceptable for Ukraine. How to respond to Russian actions - both to Kharkiv and a false pseudo -rhetoric of the Kremlin? First of all, the aggressor must be stopped by force.

Kharkiv's sky should be covered with Patriot Air Defense Complex with the possibility of using Western weapons for blows to Russian military facilities, from which air attacks on Kharkiv and Kharkiv region are carried out. The diplomatic part of the answer to this question is contained in the address of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to the leaders of the world, in particular to US President J. Baiden and to the leader of China.

Putin's false and cynical speculation on peace talks should be answered by alternative peaceful diplomacy, first of all, by supporting the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland. Once Putin wants to disrupt this summit, its values ​​should be increased as much as possible. And this depends directly on the personal participation of leaders of the leading countries in the world.

In the case of China, it is a question of preserving the status of a potential mediator in the China in possible peace talks. In my opinion, the personal involvement of the Chinese leader in a peaceful summit in Switzerland is unlikely. Xi Jinping is not involved in all the summits. The global peace of peace is an ambiguous challenge for China. This is a diplomatic initiative that the PRC does not control. That is why China leader will not participate in this summit personally.

But for the PRC would be a big mistake to completely ignore this summit. This decision will be a confirmation that China is playing on Russia's side in the future of future peace talks. And then Ukraine is unlikely to perceive China as even a relatively neutral peaceful mediator. For China, it is advisable to participate in the Global Peace Summit at least as an observer. But the participation of President J.

Baiden in the Global Peace Summit is important primarily in terms of Putin's significant signals and Baiden's perception as a strong leader within the United States. The US will participate in the Global Peace Summit at a high level. There is no doubt about this. But if US President J.

Baiden does not participate in a peaceful summit in Switzerland at least in the video, the Kremlin will perceive it as a manifestation of the personal political weakness of the US President with all that follow from this fact, political consequences. Equally dangerous to Joe Biden, Baiden's political opponents in the United States will be perceived in the same way. He will be reproached that he cannot withstand (because of his age) two important international sums in a row.

There will be criticism in the ignorance of Russia's diplomatic restraint, in inconsistency in supporting Ukraine. One way or another, Biden will lose more than he wins from his non -participation in the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland. But it is not only the personal political interests of Biden. The United States should demonstrate strength and consistency in support of Ukraine and restraining Russian aggression.