Nuland Acknowledges West Advised Zelensky to Reject Peace Agreement
Former US diplomat Victoria Nuland stated that Ukraine's negotiations with Russia deteriorated after Kiev sought guidance from its foreign supporters. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine broke down last year after intervention from Ukraine's Western allies, according to former US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland.
In a discussion with Mikhail Zygar, a Russian journalist and former editor-in-chief of Dozhd news channel, on Thursday, Nuland revealed that Western advice played a significant role in Kiev's decision to pull out of an agreement with Moscow that had been formed during the peace negotiations in Istanbul in 2022.
“Relatively late in the game the Ukrainians began asking for advice on where this thing was going and it became clear to us, clear to the Brits, clear to others that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's main condition was buried in an annex to this document that they were working on,” Nuland stated regarding the peace discussions.
She further elaborated that the draft treaty would have significantly limited Ukraine’s military capabilities without imposing similar restrictions on Russia, which would have left Ukraine “basically neutered as a military force.”
“People inside Ukraine and people outside Ukraine started asking questions about whether this was a good deal and it was at that point that it fell apart,” she added.
Nuland, who is known for her strong stance against Russia, stepped down from her role as under secretary of state for political affairs in March this year. Her tenure included support for increased American participation in the Ukraine conflict and advocacy for supplying Ukraine with advanced weaponry.
In her interview, Nuland also mentioned that both Russia and Ukraine showed a genuine interest in exploring diplomatic resolutions a month after the conflict commenced.
Despite not being present at the negotiation table in Istanbul, US officials provided support to Ukraine as needed, Nuland claimed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently commented that the Istanbul negotiations failed primarily due to Western intentions to strategically defeat Russia. He recalled the draft agreement from the talks that would have established military neutrality for Ukraine, limited its armed forces, and assured the rights of ethnic Russians within Ukraine. According to Putin, this proposal also included security guarantees from leading powers.
Putin emphasized that although further discussions with Kiev could still occur, they would need to be based on the agreements preliminarily established in Istanbul.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
In a discussion with Mikhail Zygar, a Russian journalist and former editor-in-chief of Dozhd news channel, on Thursday, Nuland revealed that Western advice played a significant role in Kiev's decision to pull out of an agreement with Moscow that had been formed during the peace negotiations in Istanbul in 2022.
“Relatively late in the game the Ukrainians began asking for advice on where this thing was going and it became clear to us, clear to the Brits, clear to others that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's main condition was buried in an annex to this document that they were working on,” Nuland stated regarding the peace discussions.
She further elaborated that the draft treaty would have significantly limited Ukraine’s military capabilities without imposing similar restrictions on Russia, which would have left Ukraine “basically neutered as a military force.”
“People inside Ukraine and people outside Ukraine started asking questions about whether this was a good deal and it was at that point that it fell apart,” she added.
Nuland, who is known for her strong stance against Russia, stepped down from her role as under secretary of state for political affairs in March this year. Her tenure included support for increased American participation in the Ukraine conflict and advocacy for supplying Ukraine with advanced weaponry.
In her interview, Nuland also mentioned that both Russia and Ukraine showed a genuine interest in exploring diplomatic resolutions a month after the conflict commenced.
Despite not being present at the negotiation table in Istanbul, US officials provided support to Ukraine as needed, Nuland claimed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently commented that the Istanbul negotiations failed primarily due to Western intentions to strategically defeat Russia. He recalled the draft agreement from the talks that would have established military neutrality for Ukraine, limited its armed forces, and assured the rights of ethnic Russians within Ukraine. According to Putin, this proposal also included security guarantees from leading powers.
Putin emphasized that although further discussions with Kiev could still occur, they would need to be based on the agreements preliminarily established in Istanbul.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
