Adviser to Ukrainian President's Office on Jeddah meeting: Not everyone understands why war is going on and why Russia must lose

Not all countries understand why Russia should leave the territories of Ukraine to end the war. This has caused some difficulties on the sidelines of the summit in Saudi Arabia, Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the head of the Office of the President, said.

Source: Podoliak in an interview with Radio Liberty (Svoboda. Ranok ("Liberty. Morning") project)

Quote: "The most difficult thing is always the discussion of the issue that Russia should leave the territory of Ukraine. Some countries, certainly not all – (those) who have taken a pro-Ukrainian position since the beginning of this war, understand everything clearly – and some countries continue to think that these are some territorial matters. It is implied that the Russian Federation is attacking the territory for the sake of this territory – we are talking about the east of Ukraine.

To leave something to the Russian Federation, even a small scrap, will mean that the war is simply postponed to the next stages."

Details: Podoliak explained that "not all countries understand the nature of the Russian-Ukrainian war."

He stated that "negotiations without Russia having lost discredit international law."

Quote: "Some countries do not have an in-depth understanding of this conflict. Moreover, some countries consider Russia capable of conducting large-scale military campaigns.

It is difficult to explain that if we want to finalise the war itself, to find its finale, then Russia must lose. If we want to continue the war and thus discredit international law as much as possible, then we need to agree on something with the Russian Federation. Not everyone understands this, and this is the most difficult question."

More details: Podoliak wrote in his X (Twitter) account that "the only basic 'foundation for negotiations' is President Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula".

There can be no other compromises like "immediate ceasefires" and "negotiations here and now" – the only acceptable solution is driving the Russian troops out behind the borders of Ukraine as of 1991.

"One should have no illusions: any 'Minsk-3' will only prolong the war in the future. It is precisely the 'abandonment of illusions' that is happening today in many countries that yesterday misjudged Russia and its intention to 'kill' international law," Podoliak added. 

Why it is important: Even though the Kremlin claims Russia does not need other Ukrainian territories besides the four oblasts and Crimea that the country added to its constitution after the occupation, Kyiv and its allies are convinced that Moscow will continue its invasion if it is not stopped by force.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin claims that peace negotiations are not possible due to the position taken by Kyiv and NATO states, but in reality it is him who does not want to make agreements and wants to continue waging war.

Ukraine’s condition for starting negotiations is complete withdrawal of the Russian troops from Ukrainian territories, and its aim is to return its land within its 1991 borders.

Background: 

• On 5 August, a meeting to discuss the upcoming Peace Formula summit proposed by the Ukrainian government began in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 42 countries were present there. The countries are expected to share responsibility for individual points of the Ukrainian peace formula.
• Andrii Yermak, the head of the Office of the Ukrainian President, spoke about the results of the meeting in Saudi Arabia regarding the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula and noted that most of the participating states have decided how they will make their contribution.
• Yermak held meetings with heads of more than 30 delegations.
• European officials have said that China’s participation in the senior state advisers’ meeting to discuss Ukraine’s Peace Formula in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, had been "constructive".
• The participants of the summit in Saudi Arabia reached common ground "that respect for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty must be at the heart of any peace agreement". A decision had been made to form working groups on key topics of the 10 points of the peace formula proposed by Kyiv.

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