School  » truce  » | Ukrainian Truth

On April 20, Orthodox and Catholics will celebrate Easter. Neo -Nazis is Adolf Hitler’s birthday. And US President Donald Trump is three months in power.

It was theoretically assumed that it would be possible to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine by this date. But in fact, Russian terror against our country has only intensified for Trump: under the accompaniment of endless and so far infertile conversations about « truce ».

At the same time, the last three months have become a good school for us.

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Discussing the hypothetical ceasefire, Ukraine has grown significantly, began to look at things more soberly and honestly, learned to break the topics that have recently remained taboo. And let the demonstrative peacekeeping activity of Trump and Ko end, from this story has already managed to outline several valuable lessons.

Lesson one: rhetoric. How to talk about peace right

In 2022, Ukraine proposed the international community to the idea of ​​a just defense war against Russian evil. However, for hundreds of millions of inhabitants, bad peace is more attractive than a noble war. And you do nothing about it.

If in the West Ukrainian rhetoric worked at least partially, then in the global south we were fiasco. For most countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, not the fight against the aggressor, but a peaceful settlement, was a priority.

Russia was pleased to play in similar moods, regularly emphasizing that it is allegedly ready for the end of the military conflict, but the Ukrainian leadership does not want it. And our peacekeeping messages were not taken seriously, as Kiev demanded the preliminary allocation of Russian troops to the borders of 1991 – and from the point of view of neutral observers, this condition seemed clearly impossible.

Only in 2025, when we had to deal with Donald Trump did Ukraine finally mastered the winning peacekeeping rhetoric. Public consent to stop the fire without additional conditions has become a strong course of Kiev, which transferred the ball to the field of Moscow. And now the Russian Federation looks like a party that is not interested in the end of bloodshed.

Lesson Two: Drawing. The red lines of Ukraine

In 2022, the Ukrainians believed that the desired should be the same. This has long freed us from the discussion on the acceptable conditions of the end of the war or its hot phase. Everyone likes the maximum program: the full defeat of the Russian army, the exit of the Armed Forces to the borders of the 91st year, the collapse of the Russian Federation and the international tribunal above Putin.

However, in 2025, Ukraine had to admit that the maximum program is unlikely to be implemented. The country tried to formulate a minimum program late. Draw your own red lines. To understand what options for developments are non -ideal but acceptable for Kiev and which are unacceptable.

Is it possible to go to the front line stop? Most likely, yes. Is it possible to give way to the enemy by the unocal of Kherson or Zaporozhye without a fight? Definitely not.

Is it possible to put up with the fact that Donetsk or Sevastopol will not be released in the near future? It’s unpleasant, but let’s say. Is it possible to officially recognize the occupied territories of Ukraine in Russian? Excluded.

Is it possible to agree with the freezing of the Russian-Ukrainian war? Apparently, yes. Is it possible to accept an ultimatum on the actual disarmament of Ukraine? In no case.

Domestic red lines are outlined not only for Trump or European partners. First of all, we draw them for ourselves. And this is one of the most significant events of recent months.

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Three lesson: physical education. Ukrainian efforts and their goal

While in our public space, exclusively the maximum program was announced, any effort and sacrifice of Ukrainians were associated with its implementation. At first it motivated both the front and the rear, but later began to harm. The less likely the rapid de -occupation of the Donbass and the Crimea looked like, the more inhabitants felt the fatigue of a protracted war with unrealistic purposes. Like, God with them, with the borders of 1991 – the main thing that this nightmare is over …

However, 2025 clearly demonstrated that there was no option in Kiev simply to take and end the war. The only scenario that does not require serious effort from Ukraine is complete surrender on Moscow. For any other final of the hot phase of war you should fight. Not for the sake of the 1991 borders, but for the sake of the Ukrainian state.

If negotiations on the end of the war begin, you have to fight for a strong position in the negotiations. If the hypothetical freezing of combat is discussed, you have to fight for the acceptable conditions of this frost. If Kiev is pushed to the so -called « Korean scenario », we have to fight for this scenario to be like Korean, but not turned into South Yetnam. And premature fatigue is contraindicated in Ukrainian society in any case.

Lesson Four: Grammar. A dot and three dots

In 2022, Ukraine set up for an undeniable victory over the enemy in the spirit of 1945.

It was believed that as a result of the present war in the Russian-Ukrainian confrontation would be set a fat and final point. All the territories occupied by the Russians will be liberated. Russia will cease to exist, breaking into many parts. Kyiv will be eternal for ever and a military threat from the north.

Other scenarios of the end of the war or its hot phase were not actually considered or discussed. At least publicly.

However, in 2025, Ukrainians were forced to accept the fact that we would see not a point, but only three dots. In the war with the Russian Federation, a certain pause is quite possible: several months or many years. Large -scale combat actions may not be replaced not a full -fledged peace, but a new version of hybrid confrontation. Not even reaching its goals in Ukraine, aggressive and treacherous Russia is unlikely to disappear somewhere: it will have to live with it for a long time. And it is possible that the historic window of opportunities for the de -occupation of the Donbass or Crimea will open very shortly.

The late recognition of these simple truths does not make us weaker. Instead, it definitely makes Ukraine older.

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Lesson Fifth: Discipline. A prerequisite for effective negotiations

Although most wars end in negotiations, the negotiation process itself threatens serious risks. Starting to discuss the truce, the country makes it clear that it does not have enough resources to seek the undisputed victory on the battlefield. In a sense, it is an involuntary recognition of one’s vulnerability. And the enemy always has the temptation to take advantage of it: even if he himself is not in the best shape.

The first months of 2025 showed it with all clarity. As soon as the peace talks were on the agenda, Russia has increased sharply efforts to demoralize Ukraine. Terrorist strikes in our cities. Intense propaganda work in order to discredit and delegitimize the Ukrainian leadership. Persistent attempts to split Ukrainian society. And all this is in a frantic hope that it is necessary to press a little, and we will fall back from the inside.

Therefore, 2025 requires the same consolidation from Ukrainians as 2022. Against the backdrop of any negotiations with the Russian Federation, our society should look as cohesive and disciplined as possible.

This is the only way to prove to the enemy that we are vulnerable no more than him. This is the only way that the continuation of a large -scale war carries excessive risks not only for Kiev but also for the Kremlin. And this is the only way you can get a real truce instead of the current Truce.

Mikhail Dubinyansky