DISINFO: Boris Johnson sabotaged a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia in 2022
SUMMARY
Leading European powers are trying to prevent the successful conclusion of the Istanbul talks. In particular, by continuing to provide arms to Ukraine and, instead of signing a peace treaty with Russia, by inciting Kiev to prolong the war. It is clearly demonstrated that Europe is not interested in peace. Even the agreement reached at the Istanbul talks in 2022 was violated by the then-Prime Minister of Great Britain, Boris Johnson. Ukrainian officials themselves admitted this. It seems that similar processes are continuing now.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing Europe of being a warmonger and obstructing the peace process between Ukraine and Russia. In particular, the peace claims that the then-Prime Minister of Great Britain, Boris Johnson, sabotaged a peace agreement reached in Istanbul in 2022. The claim was also made in a famous interview between Tucker Carlson and Vladimir Putin.
The claims are baseless. It has been said repeatedly that Europe is not opposed to peace at all. In the public statements of the EU officials, it has always been mentioned that the EU supports peace. However, Europe supports a lasting peace that respects Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
The claim about then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s sabotage of peace talks, distorts an interview with Davit Arakhamia, the chairman of the parliamentary faction of the ruling party of Ukraine. In the interview, Arakhamia himself denied that the Ukrainian delegation was ready to sign the document and that Boris Johnson allegedly stopped them.
Based on Arakhamia’s statements, Western partners were kept informed about the negotiations and had access to the draft versions of the agreement. However, they did not make decisions for Ukraine but could only offer advice. Arakhamia clarified in his interview that Ukraine had already decided not to sign the document even before receiving advice from Boris Johnson. Read the full debunk of the story at Myth Detector.
In a recent interview, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine clearly stated that this claim is entirely false, as Ukraine had already decided not to sign any deal before Boris Johnson visited Ukraine because these suggestions by the Russian side violated the rights of Ukrainian citizens and the constitution.
Putin and the Kremlin have a track record of pretending negotiations which are, in fact, just blunt demands for Ukrainian unconditional surrender. We have analysed this disinfo tactic in several articles, especially: "Prepare for winter" (30 Nov. 2023), "Russian so-called ‘peace proposals’ are empty PR stunts" (18 Jan. 2023), "What He Said and What it Really Means – Vol. 2: “Negotiations” (1. March 2022) and "The Kremlin security demands" (21 Dec. 2021).
See more cases such as DISINFO: Boris Johnson derailed 2022 Istanbul peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, DISINFO: Boris Johnson prohibited Kyiv from signing an agreement with Russia in 2022 and DISINFO: EU does not want peace, only total defeat of Russia.