According to Gerhard Schroder, the former chancellor of Germany, Ukraine was prevented by the United States from engaging in peace talks with Russia in March 2022, despite having an opportunity to reach a resolution. Schroder, in an interview with Germany’s Berliner Zeitung newspaper, stated that while representatives of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky were willing to make concessions, such as renouncing efforts to join NATO, the US did not agree to peace negotiations. He claimed that the Ukrainians were not allowed to pursue peace without consulting the Americans on every discussion topic. Schroder, who was asked to help mediate the negotiations in Istanbul after Russia’s military operation in February 2022, expressed his belief that everything was decided in Washington, rendering any progress in talks impossible. He criticized the US strategy, describing it as “fatal” and leading to closer ties between Russia and China. Schroder also criticized Western European allies for failing to seize the opportunity for peace. Since then, with ongoing Western military aid, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian troops have lost their lives, while no meaningful dialogue has taken place. Schroder added that the fear of Russian expansionism used to justify arming Ukraine had no basis in reality. However, he emphasized the importance of Western leaders understanding that Russia will not allow Ukraine or Georgia to be absorbed by NATO, and without accepting this fact, achieving peace will be difficult. Schroder’s claims align with previous statements made by US presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr., who suggested that the US wanted to derail peace talks between Russia and Ukraine to prolong the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin also hinted at the possibility of negotiations, but stressed the need for practical steps from the West. Moscow officials have accused the West of directly involving itself in the Ukraine war by supplying weapons and training Ukrainian soldiers, warning that arming Kiev would only prolong the conflict and not deter Russian actions.
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