DISINFO: West demanding Zelenskyy negotiate end of war with Russia
SUMMARY
The West privately demands from Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to start negotiations with Russia in order to end the conflict. This demand is a “mission impossible” for Zelenskyy - he continues to declare his willingness to “go to the victorious end”, because at the beginning of the conflict, the Western allies promised him “everything”.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative portraying Ukraine as a Western puppet facing resentment over Western support to its cause, and facing pressure to capitulate to Russian military aggression. The claims personally targets the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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 European Union endorsed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s 10-point peace plan which provides for the restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders of 1991.
Pro-Kremlin disinformation has systematically instrumentalised the narrative that Russia wants peace in Ukraine, but, as evidenced by Russia's actions in Ukraine, such statements are most likely PR stunts deployed to garner support for Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. Sergei Lavrov's latest statement at the OSCE meeting shows that Russia is not interested in peace negotiations.
This attempt to frame Ukraine as a country disinterested in “peace” is part of a wider campaign to promote Russia’s terms for a negotiated settlement that cements the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory. Pro-Kremlin disinformation has systematically instrumentalized the narrative that Russia wants peace in Ukraine, but, as evidenced by Russia’s actions in Ukraine, such statements are merely empty PR stunts deployed to garner support for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Russia is ready to negotiate for peace but Kyiv regime want to continue the war, that the EU doesn’t want peace, only the total defeat of Russia, that Ukrainians want peace with Russia but the ‘war party’ controlled by NATO is against it, or that Zelenskyy aims to continue the war to avoid elections in Ukraine.