DISINFO: The West is not interested in peace
SUMMARY
The United States, Britain, France and Germany cannot claim to be neutral mediators in the Ukraine peace process because they are involved in the conflict with Russia. These countries have already discredited themselves by supporting the unconstitutional coup in Kyiv and by sabotaging the Minsk agreements. They have no interest in resolving the crisis and are doing their utmost to prolong the confrontation.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the West is not interested in peace because it already supported the alleged coup in Kyiv in 2014 and helped sabotaged the Minsk agreements.
The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
As far as peace negotiations are concerned, the EU Council Conclusions of 09 February 2023 state unequivocally:
"Russia must stop this atrocious war immediately. The European Union will stand by Ukraine with its steadfast support for as long as it takes."
The EU supports Ukraine’s initiative for a just peace, including:
- President Zelenskyy’s peace formula
- Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan
- a peace formula summit.
In 2014, there was no coup, nor an western orchestrated protest in Ukraine.
The demonstrations which began in Kyiv in November 2013 – called "Maidan", or "Euromaidan" – were a result of the Ukrainian people's frustration with the former President Yanukovych. After seven years of negotiation, he refused to sign the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement and halted progress towards Ukraine's closer relationship with the EU due to Russian pressure.
The protesters' demands included constitutional reform, a stronger role for parliament, the formation of a government of national unity, an end to corruption, early presidential elections and an end to violence.
In fact, after Russia has illegally annexed Crimea, and facilitated an uprising in Donbas, Germany and France helped broker a ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and separatists supported by Russia. Contrary to the claims, the main impediment to a peace settlement in Donbas was, in fact, Russia’s and its proxies’ deliberate unwillingness to implement the Minsk agreements. These documents, signed by representatives of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Ukraine, Russia and leaders of the illegal separatist entities (DNR and LNR), provide, among other things, for a comprehensive ceasefire and withdrawal of foreign troops from Ukraine. Kyiv announced a truce in July 2020, but the Moscow-backed separatists have violated it virtually every day before the invasion.
By making statements alleging that Ukraine has done nothing to implement the Minsk agreements, or that the West helped sabotage it, Moscow and the separatists it backs are trying to deflect attention away from Russia’s responsibility.