Russia and Ukraine are discussing a cessation of hostilities as part of a possible agreement that would see Ukraine give up its NATO membership[/B] ambition in exchange for security guarantees[/B] and the prospect of EU membership, the Financial Times reports, citing four people briefed on the matter.
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The same sources claim that the draft ceasefire agreement for the new round of talks in Turkey contains no reference to the three original central Russian demands: The "denazification" of Ukraine, the demilitarization of the country and the legal protection of the Russian language.
President Zelensky's adviser David Arachamia tells the British newspaper that the two sides are close to an agreement on the security guarantees for Ukraine that would accompany non-NATO membership and on possible EU membership. He stressed, however, that on all issues there are individual "unresolved points."
Another source relays to the FT Ukrainian concern about Russian positions changing "almost every day".
Under the deal being discussed, along with non-NATO membership, Ukraine would refrain from developing nuclear weapons or hosting foreign military bases on its territory.
In return, what Mr. Arachamia calls "phraseology close to NATO's Article 5" would be created, meaning assistance from the guarantor powers if Ukraine is attacked. Named as guarantor powers are Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, China, Italy, Poland, Israel and Turkey.
Any agreement would have to be approved by those powers and ratified by their parliaments, President Zelensky said on Sunday. He said there had been no rejection of the Ukrainian security guarantee proposal so far.
Ukraine, moreover, would put the agreement to a referendum in a few months before changing its constitution, he added. Zelensky, as the FT points out.
According to Mr. Arachamia, the only unresolved issue is the type of international guarantees Ukraine is seeking, but the guarantors' agreement on this would have to be obtained first.
The draft communiqué of the agreement under consideration leaves the thorniest issue, namely the settlement of the future of Crimea and Donbass, to be resolved in a future discussion between Presidents Putin and Zelensky, according to the newspaper's sources.
However, Mr. Arachamia stresses: "We will never recognize any borders beyond those in our Declaration of Independence. This is the most crucial point."
As the paper concludes, if a ceasefire is reached and maintained, the foreign ministers of the two countries would meet to draft separate documents to finalize security guarantees and further agreements on social issues, such as the protection of the Russian language in Ukraine.
Efforts would then be made to arrange a meeting of the two presidents.
Source: CNA
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