Now the fighting between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for almost 2 years, and we write February 20, 2024, it is time to take stock. We all know that both countries are arming and also receiving military assistance from other countries. Thus, there is a deadlock conflict and the fighting on the battlefield can continue for many years to come, if no one comes up with sensible negotiation solutions.
We know what the countries have put forward. Ukraine will not give up land for peace. And Russia has some general security wishes and special wishes for the Russian minority in Ukraine.
Russia wants more autonomy for the eastern regions of the country and especially Donbass, Russia also wants to be able to maintain their naval base in Crimea, which they have had for over 200 years. Russia also wants the Russian minority to retain their rights. Since there are over 17 percent ethnic Russians in the country, it is understandable that the Russian part of the population wants their language to have a natural status in the country, and it is well known that minorities in a country have some rights with regard to their own language and culture.
On the security policy, we also know that Russia does not want more foreign troops marching at their borders. Therefore, they do not want this to unfold in Ukraine either.
If we look at the above-mentioned conditions, there are legitimate and not extensive wishes that the countries have for each other. In addition to these conditions, Russia also has a strong desire elsewhere in Europe that foreign forces do not stand marched in the former Soviet republics and in Finland or Norway. These are legitimate geopolitical interests and it is very understandable that the Russian people and the Russian government are uneasy about foreign NATO forces standing at several of their borders, and that there may be military exercises at their borders, these countries must stop embracing the Russian borders.
If there is a will for peace and reconciliation, it should be possible to resolve these disagreements. It is necessary to start the international mediation as soon as possible.
To succeed in moving forward, Foreign Ministers and their diplomats must get to work I have been working for a long time with a format called 15-2 where 15 countries sit down and work out a peace plan together with Russia and Ukraine. This is a strategy that has three directions.
But to get started with reality peace negotiations, it is my great wish that the foreign ministers from Germany, Britain and France, rather today than tomorrow, will go to Istanbul and under the leadership of the Turkish president and foreign minister, present the Russians and Ukrainians with a draft peace plan, which they of course must have influence on, but it is also necessary with outside peace mediators.
At the same time as working on a peace agreement, a trade policy is being developed, which means we get the economy in Europe up to speed again.
As I see it, an inclusive trade policy is essential for everyone in Europe. The upcoming peace negotiations can take several weeks and I hope that the foreign services in these countries have the ability and willingness to work for peace between the countries, even though this cannot be done within two days.
But if no one sits down and develops basic working papers, there will be no progress on the diplomatic front. The strategy involves establishing a Conciliation Institution in Istanbul. A peace center in Istanbul IPC 2024 and a center in Finland that will work on a new security structure in Europe. There will be more on these topics later here on euruo.com. In the Conciliation Institution, the formalized negotiations take place and only delegates have access.
In IPC 2024, the ordinary negotiations take place where all countries and persons who may wish are welcome and who can contribute to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Here we are talking about world leaders, businessmen and representatives of the parliamentarians who want to be part of the process of finding a peace solution. In Finland, a new security structure for Europe must be worked on and where demilitarized probes are introduced at the borders, so that only normal border and passport control is carried out. It will not be allowed to carry out military exercises at each other’s borders and where possible a demilitarized zone of 200 km is introduced both on land, at sea and in the air, this work must be done by Finland. Overall, the Conciliation Institution must work on rebuilding Ukraine, security guarantees for the country. More autonomy for Donbass within the country’s borders.
The Russians’ rights in Ukraine language, culture and work and more. The question is also whether some of the eastern oblasts can stand for tax collection and have their own state government federalism, and where the national parliament is responsible for foreign and defense policy, environment, human rights, etc. On the Crimean-peninsula, they must also agree on a form of government, so that in the future there can be coexistence between the Russians and Ukrainians who live there. Could it be imagined that the countries again entered into a leasing agreement on the naval base. Could it be imagined that the countries could agree that Russia is allowed to export gas through Ukraine and Ukraine also gets more income through it. How difficult it may be for the Ukrainian people, I hope that they see some opportunities in some of the solutions that are produced from many nations, so that they can save lives and preserve faith and hope for a proud and free Ukraine.
If Russia and Ukraine can agree on the above-mentioned topics, it is also necessary to look at what the Russian leaders and the Russian people want in their future relationship with the rest of Europe and the world community as a whole. Russia must also receive far-reaching concessions from the world community, not least geopolitically. This means that there are no foreign NATO troops close to the Russian borders in peacetime. This also means that in peacetime there must be no foreign troops on Ukrainian soil. The same conditions apply of course also for Russia, which must therefore only be ordinary passport and border control at the borders. When these overarching conditions are in place, all sanctions against the Russian leadership, the Russian business community and the Russian business owners must cease. At the same time, all sanctions that have hit the Russian people must cease. Russia must again be able to use the SWIFT payment system and Russia must also release the companies / assets they have nationalized during the conflict. At the same time, all Russian frozen assets must be released.
The companies that have left Russia because of the conflict must, as far as possible, resume their activity in the country. Normal trade and cooperation relations with the Russian business community and the Russian people must be reintroduced. In the same way that we will engage in getting the Ukrainian economy back on its feet, in the same way we must also instill the Russian people with a hope of brighter times after the countries have entered into a ceasefire and have made peace.
This for the benefit of the Russian and Ukrainian people and the world as a whole.
Only through trade and cooperation can we create a better world.
