Tanya Polyakovska 18:30, 12.01.26 UNIAN
The former minister believes that the referendum is “the only chance to protect the country from insatiable bloodthirsty Ukrainian politicians.”
If Ukrainian society is ready to accept an agreement under which Ukrainian troops will be withdrawn from the territory of the Donetsk region , but Ukraine’s sovereignty will be preserved, then there will still be no possibility of reaching an agreement until there is a clear understanding that the Russians “will not enter tomorrow where we left off.”
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said this in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda .
Answering a question about what to do with the Donetsk region, for which, in particular, the option of creating a free economic zone is being voiced, he noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “understands one simple thing: whatever he agrees on, he must “sell” it to Ukrainian society.
“My impression is this. If people are told: ‘This is what we have to give, but it will all stop, and this is what we will get in return, and this is a strong army, billions for reconstruction and membership in the EU,’ sorry, I will express a seditious opinion: it seems to me that this is a story that society will be ready to accept,” Kuleba said.
The former minister added that this is possible provided that “it is not written anywhere that we are forever, finally and irrevocably giving up any territories.”
Risks
At the same time, he emphasized, as of today, “there are huge risks for the country”:
“The key problem is that, okay, there will be a free economic zone. Let’s say that theoretically the Russians agreed to it, although they don’t agree to it. What if the Hitler and Ruhr scenario happens?”
He recalled that the Ruhr area was demilitarized following the results of World War I.
“Everyone promised never to let Germany regain control of this industrial area on the border of France. And Hitler just walked in and said ‘goodbye.’ And what did everyone do? Everyone shut up, kept quiet and swallowed,” the former minister emphasized.
Yes, says Kuleba, if the entire agreement is put to a referendum and if society is ready to “accept a painful agreement in which Ukrainian troops will be withdrawn from the territory of the Donetsk region, but Ukraine’s sovereignty will be preserved, then there will still be no possibility of reaching an agreement until there is a clear understanding that the Russians will not enter tomorrow where we will leave from.”
“The fact that they will do this is 300%, there is no doubt about it. And how to solve this last dilemma is, in fact, what is holding back the peace process,” he emphasized.
Is a referendum advisable?
When asked whether a referendum would be appropriate in such a case, Kuleba expressed the opinion that it was, and that the minimum option was ratification in the Verkhovna Rada.
“But legitimacy will falter for the reason that at the moment when the next parliamentary elections are announced, the new political forces will wash their hands and say: ‘We didn’t sign this, this is not our agreement,'” the former minister noted.
According to him, Zelensky clearly understands that it is necessary that the peace agreement he concludes does not repeat the fate of the Minsk agreements:
“Neither in substance, when there is an agreement but it doesn’t work, nor politically, when everyone who wants to comes after you for signing a bad agreement.”
Yes, he explained, ratification in parliament is “partial legitimization until the next electoral cycle.”
“And real legitimization is a referendum. What are you, against the people?” said the former minister.
He also noted that when an agreement is approved by the people in a referendum, “it becomes much harder for a politician who is eager for power to tear the country apart with the argument that ‘this is a bad agreement, but I will do even better when I come to power.'”
So the former minister expressed hope that the idea of ​​a referendum would work, because it is “the only chance to protect the country from insatiable bloodthirsty Ukrainian politicians.”
In addition, when asked what would happen if the people said “No” in the referendum, whether we would then stop the negotiations, Kuleba said: “So, we are at war.”
Possible referendum elections in Ukraine
As UNIAN reported, earlier, the head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, David Arakhamia, noted that the presidential elections and the referendum on the terms of ending the war could be held simultaneously. However, only on condition that the peace plan itself has already been agreed upon by all parties.
He also noted that the special law on holding elections should be prepared by the relevant working group approximately at the end of February, after which the document will be submitted for consideration by the Verkhovna Rada. According to Arakhamia, these elections will likely be held together with the referendum.
It seems to me, these “bloodthirsty Ukrainian politicians” are less of a problem than the bloodthirsty Moskali. They have already shown again and again that they are incapable of honoring any agreement. Besides, “bloodthirsty” can easily be interpreted in Ukraine as patriotic. Just my opinion. I usually hold Kuleba in the highest regard.
With the news coming out of mafia land that the economic situation is dire (the words of Duma deputies). Is it wise for Ukraine to accept any peace deal?
I think not. Just as we’ve been saying here from the start, rewarding evil only begets more evil.
“Is it wise for Ukraine to accept any peace deal?”
It’s probably not wise for Ukraine to accept any peace deal that putler would agree to, but it’s important for Ukraine to seem agreeable to a peace deal so that trumpkov will blame putler for the lack of a deal.
This peace deal already stinks, and it reeks of treason and cowardice. It’s a stillbirth.
Have you seen it? Last I heard from Zelensky was it wasn’t released yet.
I just feel it in my bones.
😂
No wonder you’re so spicy, you feel stillbirth in your bones. 😉 Perhaps it might be easier for you to deal with reality?
Good for you for having such high hopes for this. I don’t trust anyone with this, not Taco, not the Europeans, and certainly not the cockroaches.