RT.com
03 Apr 2022, 19:43 GMT+10
German Chancellor had reportedly attempted to convince the Ukrainian leader to drop NATO membership plan
German chancellor Olaf Scholz had offered Volodymyr Zelensky a chance for peace just days before the launch of the Russian military offensive, but the Ukrainian president turned it down, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has reported.
Scholz had made what the US outlet described as "one last push for a settlement between Moscow and Kiev" less than a week before the Russian forces were sent into Ukraine on February 24.
The chancellor told Zelensky in Munich on February 19 "that Ukraine should renounce its NATO aspirations and declare neutrality as part of a wider European security deal between the West and Russia," the paper writes. The daily also claims that "the pact would be signed by Mr. Putin and Mr. Biden, who would jointly guarantee Ukraine's security."
However, Zelensky rejected the offer to make the concession and avoid confrontation, saying that "[Russia's President Vladimir] Putin couldn't be trusted to uphold such an agreement and that most Ukrainians wanted to join NATO," the WSJ reports, without revealing its sources for the information.
"His answer left German officials worried that the chances of peace were fading," the report points out.
Scholz and Zelensky did meet on that day on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, at which each delivered an address.
Russia attacked its neighbor in late February, following Ukraine's failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements signed in 2014, and Russia's eventual recognition of the Donbass republics in Donetsk and Lugansk. The German and French brokered protocols had been designed to regularize the status of those regions within the Ukrainian state.
Russia has now demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the rebel regions by force.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Malaysia Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Malaysia Sun.
More InformationLucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 6 (ANI): All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), member Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi...
Amroha (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 6 (ANI): Right-arm seamer Mohammed Shami's cousin, Mumtaz, came out in support of his brother...
By Sushil Batra New Delhi [India], March 6 (ANI): Accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Tahawwur Rana has approached the United...
New Delhi [India], March 6 (ANI): The role of Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes in enhancing manufacturing competitiveness,...
Dhaka [Bangladesh], March 6 (ANI): Bangladesh's Jatiya Party, which was an ally of the ousted premier Sheikh Hasina's Awami League,...
Jamshoro [Pakistan], March 6 (ANI): Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM) chairman Sohail Abro has strongly condemned the violent crackdown...
HANOI, Vietnam: Vietnam is set to fast-track licensing for Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service, while also exploring ways...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks were highly volatile on Wednesday with the major indices jumping back and forth into negative territory....
RESTON, Virginia: Volkswagen is recalling more than 60,000 vehicles in the U.S. after a gear display malfunction was identified, which...
MENLO PARK, California: Meta Platforms is gearing up to introduce a paid subscription service for its AI-powered chatbot, Meta AI,...
BEIJING, China: China's manufacturing sector is expected to shrink for a second consecutive month in February, signaling continued...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks dived, then partially recovered Tuesday as 25 percent import duties on goods from Canada and Mexico...