China's peace proposal.
The war in Ukraine threatens to continue without end, or worse, escalate into a nuclear disaster.
If peace talks or negotiations are mentioned they are met by many with a dismissive wave of the hand.
Some go so far as to say that peace is impossible without regime change in Russia.
That raises questions in my mind as to whether democracy and Ukraine independence are the real concern here.
Our own domestic keyboard warriors are quite willing to fight to the last Ukrainian.
My own, what in the past was often an unpopular opinion, is that talks and a negotiated settlement are the only options.
Slowly, U.S. popular opinion seems to be moving in that direction.
This past week, for the first time, a major global power has stepped up to offer a proposal for peace.
On the first anniversary of the Russian invasion, China has offered a 12 point peace proposal.
Ukraine’s response to the proposal by China was mainly positive.
“China historically respects our territorial integrity, and it should therefore do everything for Russia to leave the territory of Ukraine,” President Zelensky told a news conference Friday.
He said that he planned to meet with China’s Xi and believed this would “benefit our countries and security in the world.”
His comments came after China put forward a 12-point peace plan that called for both sides to agree to a gradual de-escalation, keep nuclear facilities safe, establish humanitarian corridors and prevent attacks on civilian populations.
The Biden administration response was just the opposite.
“China’s been trying to have it both ways — it’s on the one hand trying to present itself publicly as neutral and seeking peace, while at the same time it is talking up Russia’s false narrative about the war,” Secretary of State Blinken said. “There are 12 points in the Chinese plan. If they were serious about the first one, sovereignty, then this war could end tomorrow.”
Those comments echoed remarks from President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, the day before. “My first reaction to it is that it could stop at point one, which is to respect the sovereignty of all nations … this was a war of choice waged by Putin,” Sullivan told CNN on Thursday.
Instead, the Biden Administration announced an additional $10 billion aid package to Ukraine on Friday, hours after announcing another $2 billion in military aid and a new round of sanctions targeting Russia.
Walter,
No. A start would be an agreement to talk. For example, that was not the basis for an end to combat in Korea. In fact, the fighting stopped with the armies in place. In Vietnam talks began even as combat continued. How can opposing forces agree to anything if there are no formal talks?
Wouldn't a peace plan start with a return of hostile armies to their own national boundaries? After this, remaining differences could be negotiated.