Ukraine faces a pivotal future under proposed settlement terms demanding strict neutrality, banning all foreign military presence, alliances, and external defence partnerships
News Desk
ISTANBUL: The Russian memorandum on the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis envisions international recognition of Crimea, Donbass and Novorossiya as parts of Russia, as well as the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian armed forces from these territories.
“The [main parameters of the settlement envision] international legal recognition of the incorporation of Crimea, the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions into the Russian Federation; the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian armed forces and other Ukrainian military formations from these territories,” the first section of Russia’s settlement proposals (memorandum) states. The document is available to TASS.
Other parameters of the settlement also include Ukrainian neutrality, implying its renunciation of accession to military alliances and coalitions, along with a “prohibition of any military activities by third states on Ukrainian territory and the deployment of foreign military formations, military bases and military infrastructure.” The Russian side also insists on Ukraine’s refusal to enter into future international treaties and agreements that are incompatible with the provisions of paragraph two of the section dedicated to Ukraine’s neutral status.
“The [main parameters of the settlement envision] confirmation of Ukraine’s status as a state free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, with a direct ban on their acceptance, transit and deployment on Ukrainian territory,” the document states. “It also envisions setting maximum personnel levels for the Ukrainian armed forces and other military formations, limits on quantities and characteristics of weapons and military equipment, and the disbandment of Ukrainian nationalist formations within the armed forces and National Guard.”
Moscow also expects full guarantees of the rights, freedoms and interests of Russian and Russian-speaking populations, as well as the granting of official status to the Russian language. “The [main parameters of the settlement envision] a legislative ban on the glorification and promotion of Nazism and neo-Nazism, the disbandment of nationalist organizations and parties,” the memorandum specifies. “The lifting of all existing, and a refusal to introduce new, economic sanctions, bans and restrictive measures between Russia and Ukraine.”
