Zelensky’s “victory plan” meets Scholz’s peace diplomacy

New York. After Russia’s disruption during the vote on the future plan of the United Nations, Olaf Scholz acted as if nothing had happened. As if the Deputy Foreign Minister in Russia, Sergei Vershinin, wanted to change the agreement that Germany and Namibia had negotiated with the other 191 countries for two years and then presented united paper. On Sunday in New York, Scholz called it just “humbling” that “Russia did not want to follow the path that the whole world has taken.” “

The deal was done anyway, he stressed. “This would not have been possible without the previous good, balanced cooperation between the many countries and continents.” Scholz does not think so under any circumstances. He talks about “prosperity”. It is a problem for Russia, but not for the process that the countries of the world are starting together. Monday, however, will certainly be about a problem for a process that cannot be solved without Russia: Putin’s aggressive war against Ukraine.

Scholz will meet with three presidents and possibly discuss Zelensky’s “victory plan”.

Scholz’s program in New York includes meetings on the sidelines of the future summit first with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Selenskyj, then with the President of Brazil Luiz Lula da Silva and finally by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It seems that Zelenskyj’s “victory plan” is what he wants to discuss this Thursday with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris – and also with Harris’ opponent Donald Trump.

The plan is intended to be the basis for possible peace talks with Russia. “A victory plan”? Moscow is already wringing its hands: Russian representatives would not participate in a peace conference because it is not about the real settlement of the conflict. However, they are willing to resolve the crisis politically and diplomatically and consider serious proposals. Russia’s interests must be taken into account.

It is said that Zelenskyj wants to use long-range missiles which he has wanted for a long time. The US was afraid – and Scholz has always been – that the war would escalate if Ukraine allowed Western weapons to be directed to Russian territory.

It would be a difficult undertaking to turn a “victory plan” into a peace plan negotiated by Russia. For the Western aid states, there is also a balancing act of continuing to provide arms to Ukraine while at the same time paving the way for peace diplomacy with their own strength. Scholz puts it this way: “Now is the time to keep a close eye on both, on the one hand the necessary support for Ukraine so that it can defend its independence and sovereignty, but at at the same time also check how we can get in. a situation in which this war will not happen “That is difficult because Russia shows no signs of de-escalation, but instead continues the war “brutally”.

However, it is obvious that the Chancellor has been pointing the way to negotiations recently. His diplomacy is peace. A lot of things happen behind closed doors. The AfD and BSW know this, but they still accuse the federal government of not doing anything about it.

Will Ukraine join NATO soon?

Perhaps an important point is the question of Ukraine’s accession to NATO. Without the security of the transatlantic military alliance, Russia will always be a threat to Ukraine – and with the security of the transatlantic military alliance to Ukraine, Moscow will not want to sign a peace treaty . Russian President Vladimir Putin may want to wait until the US election in November. If Trump wins, US support for Kyiv could drop.

There is also speculation about the timing of a peace conference. In June, dozens of countries took part in the first meeting in Switzerland – but without Russia and without China. Russia’s partner Brazil will host the event on 18/19. The G20 summit in November. A peace conference could be discussed there. Scholz will probably talk about it with Lula da Silva in New York. And who would hold such a conference? Turkey? That would be a topic for his conversation with Erdogan. One day, three meetings with three important presidents.