by Sir, William Hague poses a false alternative: letting Russia win or allowing Ukraine to fire western-supplied missiles deep in Russian territory. There is better way: a negotiated peace, involving neither a Ukrainian defeat nor military escalation. This requires a recognition that Ukraine has already won its most important victory. Putin expected to be in Kyiv within a week: Ukraine, with our help, has made sure he will never get there. Some sacrifice of territory in return for real, not nominal, independence, would still leave the balance of a compromise peace enormously in Ukraine’s favour. Readiness for compromise also requires shedding the dangerous delusion that a postponement of negotiations will improve Ukraine’s military position. Ukraine may well be supplied with more and
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Sir, William Hague poses a false alternative: letting Russia win or allowing Ukraine to fire western-supplied missiles deep in Russian territory. There is better way: a negotiated peace, involving neither a Ukrainian defeat nor military escalation. This requires a recognition that Ukraine has already won its most important victory. Putin expected to be in Kyiv within a week: Ukraine, with our help, has made sure he will never get there. Some sacrifice of territory in return for real, not nominal, independence, would still leave the balance of a compromise peace enormously in Ukraine’s favour.
Readiness for compromise also requires shedding the dangerous delusion that a postponement of negotiations will improve Ukraine’s military position. Ukraine may well be supplied with more and deadlier western weapons, but the Russians will deploy more dangerous weapons of their own, while continuing to turn themselves into a totally militarised economy. Hence Hague’s proposition would bring zero gain for Ukraine while bringing the world to the brink of a third world war.
Lord Skidelsky
House of Lords