Ukraine. Perspectives of the Future
Negotiations aimed at the end of the conflict in Ukrainian territory, which has been going on for over three years, have been at all gas. Since Donald Trump took over again, the White House reins, the negotiation process has been frantic and marked by ups and downs. Since the accusations to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as he approached Moscow, peace, or the way there has been generated controversy. The mineral agreement, conversations in Saudi Arabia, European rearmament plans and, finally, the ceasefire agreement, first in the Black Sea, have been the main object of analysis of international relations.
Emmanuel Macron, in his style, summoned another high -level summit at the Elisha Palace in Paris, where European leaders gathered yesterday to discuss the role Europe will play in the future of Ukraine, especially with regard to safety guarantees the next day.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BLACK SEA
As is well known, Ukraine is known as the “Barn of Europe”, given the wealth in agri -food products, finding in its export one of its most important sources of wealth. Throughout the conflict, this issue has been one of the fundamental diplomatic points, even if not free, naturally, of high tensions. Several agreements have been celebrated and interrupted in this regard over the past three years, but finally there seems to be a consistent plan, even if I find some imposed barriers, as has been a constant, by the Russian regime.
This time, it was Washington who measured the ceasefire agreement in the Black Sea, facing him as a first fundamental step for the total end of hostilities. Ukraine immediately accepted, and US representatives cited by CNN announced that both parties agreed to « ensure the safety of navigation, eliminate the use of force and prevent the use of commercial ships for the Black Sea », including the promise to end the attacks on energy infrastructure. But the main problem lies in the demands imposed by Moscow to finally accept the American proposal. And they are not, by the way, easy requirements to comply. On Tuesday, Kremlin announced that it would only sign as all the sanctions imposed on the Russian Agricultural Bank, as well as all companies that play a key role in exporting food, imposed following their invasion to Ukraine, being raised. «We are thinking of all of them right now. There are five or six conditions. We are analyzing them all, ”was Donald Trump’s answer. Zelensky, of course, was more confronted: « They are already trying to distort the agreements and deceive our mediators and the whole world. »
As it was also advanced by CNN, the White House had already shown opening to the relief of sanctions implemented to economically suffocate Russia if the Putin regime honored the agreement. It was guaranteed by Washington that, in this event, it would « help restore Russia’s access to the world’s agricultural export and fertilizer market, reduce maritime insurance costs and improve access to ports and payment systems for these transactions », and this last point refers to the exclusion of the Russian Agricultural Bank and other companies to the international SWIFT payment system.
Summit in Elisha
While Americans, Russians, and Ukrainians are involved in an intense diplomatic process from which the previously mentioned agreement came out, European leaders met in Paris at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. Security guarantees for Ukrainians, namely the presence of European troops on the ground, is the theme around which the summit gravitates.
« We will be ready to operationalize a peace agreement, whatever its exact form, » said British Prime Minister Keir Stmermer to journalists, adding that they will undertake « together to ensure Ukraine’s safety so that they can defend and dissuade in the future. » Another of the topics that has been widely discussed during the conflict is the use of Russian assets – about 230 billion euros – confiscated after the invasion, for the reconstruction of Ukraine, and Macron has again stressed this possibility and can be used as leverage in a peace agreement. It is also important to emphasize the rearness of the Franco-British axis, with the French president to ensure that the leadership of European efforts goes through these two countries. « These forces of reaffirmation are a Franco-British proposal that is desired by Ukraine, » said Macron, who has not denied the resistance of certain leaders to the plan. « The proposal is not unanimous, but we do not need unanimity to do so, » he concluded.
Thus, Ukraine is now in one of the most important moments in its history. Its internal dynamics, together with European and American actions, will dictate the success or failure of the country that wants to be independent, sovereign and prosperous.
