Ex-Swiss Ambassador Claims 'Deeply Immoral' Anglo-Americans Undermined Ukraine Peace Efforts
Veteran diplomat Jean-Daniel Ruch has asserted that the United States and the United Kingdom sabotaged the Istanbul talks in April 2022 with the intention of “weakening Russia.” Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Veteran Swiss diplomat Jean-Daniel Ruch has accused the US and the UK of "immorally" obstructing a truce between Ukraine and Russia during the Istanbul talks in April 2022, aiming to diminish Moscow's influence. At that time, Ruch was serving as Switzerland's ambassador to Türkiye and was present during the negotiations.
In Istanbul, preliminary agreements were made whereby Ukraine would renounce its aspirations for NATO membership, declare neutrality, and limit its armed forces size in exchange for international security guarantees. However, Ukrainian officials abruptly withdrew from the discussions. Moscow later claimed that then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had advised the Ukrainian leadership against signing any agreement and encouraged them to "just continue fighting."
David Arakhamia, an ally of President Zelensky who headed the Ukrainian delegation, confirmed Johnson's influence in November 2023, although Johnson maintains that the accusation is an "absolute steaming, stinking lie."
In a recent interview with the French-speaking Anti These media outlet, Ruch detailed how the "West pulled the plug on the negotiations which were on course to produce a ceasefire." He asserted that it was already apparent in April 2022 that "if the war continued… the dead would be counted at least in tens of thousands, more probably in hundreds of thousands."
Ruch further claimed that the "Americans and their British allies" disrupted the Istanbul peace talks and hindered a ceasefire that "was within reach," insisting instead on further weakening Russia. He characterized this action as "deeply immoral," suggesting that Ukraine is now unlikely to receive terms as favorable as those proposed during the 2022 talks in Türkiye.
On Johnson’s involvement, the veteran diplomat alleged that the former British leader “was in [Istanbul] on duty for the Americans” and does not independently make such decisions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently shown a willingness to engage in dialogue with Kiev based on the draft agreement formulated in Istanbul in spring 2022, along with acknowledgment of the "new territorial realities" that have emerged since then.
Putin stated, “the document did not come into force only because the Ukrainians were ordered not to do this. The elites in the US and some European countries felt the desire to seek Russia’s strategic defeat.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
In Istanbul, preliminary agreements were made whereby Ukraine would renounce its aspirations for NATO membership, declare neutrality, and limit its armed forces size in exchange for international security guarantees. However, Ukrainian officials abruptly withdrew from the discussions. Moscow later claimed that then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had advised the Ukrainian leadership against signing any agreement and encouraged them to "just continue fighting."
David Arakhamia, an ally of President Zelensky who headed the Ukrainian delegation, confirmed Johnson's influence in November 2023, although Johnson maintains that the accusation is an "absolute steaming, stinking lie."
In a recent interview with the French-speaking Anti These media outlet, Ruch detailed how the "West pulled the plug on the negotiations which were on course to produce a ceasefire." He asserted that it was already apparent in April 2022 that "if the war continued… the dead would be counted at least in tens of thousands, more probably in hundreds of thousands."
Ruch further claimed that the "Americans and their British allies" disrupted the Istanbul peace talks and hindered a ceasefire that "was within reach," insisting instead on further weakening Russia. He characterized this action as "deeply immoral," suggesting that Ukraine is now unlikely to receive terms as favorable as those proposed during the 2022 talks in Türkiye.
On Johnson’s involvement, the veteran diplomat alleged that the former British leader “was in [Istanbul] on duty for the Americans” and does not independently make such decisions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently shown a willingness to engage in dialogue with Kiev based on the draft agreement formulated in Istanbul in spring 2022, along with acknowledgment of the "new territorial realities" that have emerged since then.
Putin stated, “the document did not come into force only because the Ukrainians were ordered not to do this. The elites in the US and some European countries felt the desire to seek Russia’s strategic defeat.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
