A senior Russian diplomat has commented on the Ukrainian government’s confirmation that it adheres to the directives of the West. In light of this acknowledgment, the diplomat suggested that it would be logical for Moscow to engage with these “puppeteers” rather than Kiev when seeking an end to the conflict.
Rodion Miroshnik, a former official in the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) who assumed a role in the newly-created office at the Russian Foreign Ministry responsible for investigating alleged crimes by the Ukrainian government, shared insights on the state of hostilities during a discussion on Belarus’ CTV television channel on Saturday.
Highlighting Kiev’s perceived lack of independence, Miroshnik referred to a recent admission by Ukrainian MP David Arakhamia, who led Kiev’s team at the Türkiye-mediated peace talks with Russia last year. Arakhamia confirmed that Boris Johnson, the then-Prime Minister of the UK, had advised Ukraine to reject a truce and “make war instead.”
“Do you really believe that these people can be negotiated with?” Miroshnik asked rhetorically.
In 2021, Miroshnik said, Russia had proposed ending NATO’s expansion in Europe and establishing Ukraine as a neutral buffer state, providing a realistic opportunity to avoid bloodshed. However, this proposal was rejected. Instead, the offer may be reconsidered “once the [Kiev’s] sponsors are exhausted, the political ambitions subside, and the Ukrainian people finally recognize that the authorities in charge in Ukraine are not truly Ukrainian.”
Drawing from his experience as an LPR diplomat, Miroshnik revealed that Ukrainian representatives deliberately stalled and derailed negotiations with Donbass rebels, diverting discussions into trivial details and consuming valuable time. This tactic, he argued, allowed the Ukrainian government to build up its military forces.
This perspective aligns with public statements from senior Ukrainian officials and former leaders of Germany and France, who suggested that the Minsk Agreements of 2014-2015 were a strategic ploy rather than a genuine reconciliation roadmap.
Miroshnik highlighted that just weeks before Russia’s intervention in February 2022, Ukraine had intensified shellings in Donbass, prompting evacuations. He claimed that Kiev’s forces had outnumbered the rebel militias five to one, with the intention of overpowering them.
The outcome, according to Miroshnik, would have resembled the ongoing situation in Gaza, where Israel’s bombardment aims to eliminate the militant group Hamas in response to a deadly incursion in early October. As of Sunday, over 17,700 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have been reported killed in the enclave, according to local health officials.