The 2015 Minsk Agreement was supposed to end the Donbass war, but it failed horribly. According to publicist Alice Schwarzer, the western nations engaged in the discussions would have pursued their own aims regardless. She offers specific proposals for a peace plan in Russia's conflict with Ukraine.
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| Alice Schwarzer |
Alice Schwarzer, a prominent journalist, has accused Ukraine's western supporters of "fraud against Russia." The West did not push a ceasefire in preparation for the 2015 Minsk deal to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine, popularly known as Minsk II, but instead sought to allow Ukraine time to prepare itself for a war against Russia.
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"Until recently, I thought one of Ms Merkel's greatest achievements was negotiating the Minsk Agreement with the French," Schwarzer stated in a debate with a "Welt" editor. She felt that this agreement would result in a cease-fire.
The Minsk Agreement, negotiated by former Chancellor Angela Merkel, then-French President François Hollande, and Ukraine and Russia's Presidents, Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Putin, was intended to put into effect the provisions of the Minsk Protocol reached in 2014. These included a cease-fire and the removal of heavy weaponry, among other things.
Pro-Russian rebels resumed attacks three days after the truce was declared. On February 21, 2021, shortly before the invasion of Ukraine, Kremlin chairman Putin pronounced the accord to have collapsed.
"I also call that a scam, a scam against Russia," Schwarzer says of the Minsk Agreement
"Suddenly, Angela Merkel claims that Minsk was only closed from the beginning to give Ukraine time to upgrade," the 80-year-old remarked, alluding to an interview Angela Merkel made to "Die Zeit" in December. "The 2014 Minsk Agreement was an attempt to give Ukraine time," stated the former chancellor. She also used this opportunity to strengthen herself, as you can see now." Merkel's remarks reportedly "disappointed" Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Apparently, the West was only interested in giving Ukraine space to rearm and train its army," Schwarzer said to the "Welt." "I also call it a ruse, a ruse against Russia."
Schwarzer stated that she had no intention of being affiliated with any party in reference to her various proposals for peace talks in Ukraine. "Everything has been said," the author said, referring to her open letter to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz from April 2022, the so-called peace manifesto she launched with left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht, which garnered more than 500,000 supporters and was heavily criticized at a "Peace rally" in Berlin in February.
"Where does 'right' begin?" says Schwarzer. And what does the term "left" signify today?"
Schwarzer believed it was "a good thing" that both left and right-wing parties participated in the latter, because the war's condemnation "couldn't be broad enough," according to the publicist. Different points of view are unavoidable in a pluralistic democracy. "However, where does 'right' begin?" "And what does 'left' mean today?" Schwarzer wondered. It was critical to her that neither right-wing nor left-wing extreme organizations profited from the demonstration. "That didn't happen, partly because we actively prevented it." There were people of all political stripes present." And she still has popular support for it now.
Schwarzer and Sahra Wagenknecht called for a "peace demonstration" at the Brandenburg Gate on February 25, 2023. According to the police, over 13,000 individuals participated. Among them were Jürgen Elsässer, editor-in-chief of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution-monitored "Compact" magazine, well-known "Reich citizens," and proponents of the QAnon conspiracy tale. The demonstrations' main objectives included a halt to armament delivery and the commencement of dialogue in Ukraine. Around 780,000 individuals have signed Schwarzer and Wagenknecht's contentious "Manifesto for Peace." Tino Chrupalla, the leader of the AfD, was also among those who signed.
In the interview, Schwarzer underlined her desire for new peace talks in Ukraine. The defeat of Russia or the weakening of the country should not be the aim. "Russia possesses the world's largest arsenal of nuclear weapons." Ukraine could not overcome Russia even with Western assistance, according to Schwarzer. In any case, the West should "say goodbye to such annihilating victories." During the debate, the editor of "Welt" accused Schwarzer of having a basic ignorance of Ukrainian issues and repeatedly asked for specific proposals on how to urge Ukraine to negotiate and what a peace may look like. Furthermore, the editor of the 80-year-old placed too much faith in Kremlin head Putin's assurances.
How Alice Schwarzer envisions Ukrainian peace
According to Schwarzer, a Ukrainian peace plan should have four components:
1. Russian forces will be withdrawn to the borders before the assault begins on February 24, 2022.
2. Implementation of the Donbass Special Status established in Minsk II.
3. The continuation of Russia's unlawfully acquired Crimean peninsula as a special administrative area.
4. "Thereafter, a UN-run and controlled referendum on which country the peninsulars' want to belong to should be held."
Also, "Ukraine should declare its neutrality and refuse to join NATO." And in exchange for that, they would need security guarantees from the West." As a guarantor power, Germany may potentially send Bundeswehr troops to Ukraine.
Schwarzer believes the war has a significant potential for escalation, particularly in light of Kiev's announcement of the recovery of the Crimean peninsula. "I don't want to know what the Russian response will be if Ukraine now attacks Crimea as well - Putin's deep red line." "Then Germany and the rest of the West will inevitably be in the middle of a world war," Emma's editor predicted. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has stated that recapturing Crimea is "the only option." The Ukrainian proposals, however, are not without opposition.
The writer emphasized that Russia was not completely responsible for the commencement of the war and urged against demonizing Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. One might wonder how a battle of this proportions could have erupted in Europe 30 years after the Cold battle ended. "Sure, it's a Russian aggression war, but demonizing Putin completely won't get us any further." According to Schwarzer, "Putin's main motivation for the attack is Russia's security and his fear that his country will be threatened if NATO moves even further east." Furthermore, Putin had demonstrated "readiness for peace," such as his address in the German Bundestag in 2001 or a guest contribution in 2021. However, his desire to speak was remarkable.
Zelensky, on the other hand, chastised the elderly man for his speech. "When Ukrainian President Zelensky declares after a year of war that his war goal is 'victory over the terrorist state,' I can only respond: We Germans, in particular, should not participate in that." During WWII, Nazi Germany was responsible for the deaths of 27 million Soviet civilians. According to Schwarzer, Zelensky's "inflammatory language" is "basically impossible."
Sources: RND, Reuters, YouTube.