Mar 19, 2025 07:51 PM IST
Washington and Moscow discuss a ceasefire to de-escalate the Ukraine war, but conditions may clash with European plans and Ukraine’s sovereignty.
The conditional ceasefire agreement that Washington and Moscow are discussing is the most serious attempt to de-escalate the three-year-long war between Russia and Ukraine. Under it, Russia will desist from bombing Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for the next 30 days provided the West accedes to Moscow’s long list of demands, including suspension of all military aid to Kyiv. Any pause in the war is welcome though Kyiv has accused Moscow of trying to scuttle the peace talks: President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Wednesday that Russia fired several missiles and drones into Ukraine and attacked a power facility linked to the latter’s railways. Washington has said further talks will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday.
The conditions set by Moscow for the limited ceasefire are incompatible with the plans Europe has for Ukraine. It is not clear if European nations backing Kyiv have been taken into confidence by the US; in fact, capitals in western Europe have worked separately on plans to boost Ukraine’s security. These measures, among them a proposal to raise a reassurance force with contributions from European countries to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty, square off with Moscow’s insistence that Kyiv should not use the ceasefire window to arm itself or mobilise troops. America may be able to force Ukraine to fall in line with the peace plan it negotiates with Moscow, but does it have the same leverage with European nations, which are suspicious about Russia’s territorial ambitions? A primary condition for ensuring peace is for all parties to accept that national sovereignty and borders are sacrosanct. The fact is Russia today occupies one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, some of which even Kyiv recognises Moscow is unlikely to return.
Still, negotiations must continue so that the war stops. Since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, 174,000-420,000 people have been killed in the war, according to the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP), based at Sweden’s Uppsala University, which tracks global civilian and combatant death tolls in conflicts. At least 10 million Ukrainians have been displaced, with six million living in various European nations as refugees and dented the global economy.
New Delhi has consistently asked for a resolution through talks. If the ceasefire holds, it can contribute to peace-keeping efforts and rebuilding Ukraine. An international coalition may have to guarantee Kyiv’s security, protect trade and transit routes, especially the crucial Black Sea route, and facilitate the post-war reconstruction. However, all this is contingent upon Kyiv and Moscow agreeing to a truce. The first steps towards this seem to have been taken by all sides.
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