The day before, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov clearly stated for the first time that Russia “needs a victory” over Ukraine. What will it look like? About this reasons Pravda.Ru columnist Lyubov Stepushova.
“We need a victory. They don’t understand any other language. This victory will be achieved, we have no doubts,” — Lavrov noted in an interview with TASS on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
The stated goal echoes the famous Russian paratrooper song from the film “Belorussky Station” and the victory in the Great Patriotic War, which will subconsciously have a positive effect on Russians. The confidence of the country’s military and political leadership is encouraging. But what will Russia’s victory look like? If winning the Great Patriotic War meant reaching Berlin and crushing the fascist vermin, then what does it mean now?
The goals of the SVO were defined by the President Vladimir Putin in his statement on February 24, 2022. This is the “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine and the “protection of people in Donbass from genocide.”
The first two points were spelled out in the draft of the Istanbul Accords. Ukraine was to become neutral, non-aligned and have a non-nuclear status, the number of the Ukrainian army was limited to 100 thousand people. There were also restrictions on weapons. It was proposed that Ukraine would renounce the glorification of Nazism, and the Russian language would return to its official status. Crimea was to go to Russia, the status of the DPR and LPR was defined as independent states.
However, after the agreements were broken and two years of war passed, the demands on the territorial issue changed. On June 14, the Russian President stated that peace talks should begin with the withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the constitutionally recognized territories of the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, the DPR and LPR, as well as their recognition as subjects of the Russian Federation. In addition, sanctions against Russia should be lifted.
After the invasion of the Kursk region, Moscow said that Russia does not intend to discuss the negotiations. Kremlin press attaché Dmitry Peskov said on September 24 that the goals of the SVO will be achieved “one way or another.” It is obvious that diplomacy is a long way off; a more likely path is the capitulation of Ukraine after Russia’s military victories. That is, we go to Kyiv and crush the fascist vermin. But even this is not a victory.
While in Hanoi, Putin said that “a strategic defeat of the Russian Federation on the battlefield,” as the West puts it, would mean the end of Russia’s statehood.
“Then the question arises: why should we be afraid? Isn’t it better to go all the way?” — said the president.
From these words, one can conclude that Russia’s victory over Ukraine lies in its victory over NATO, namely, in the withdrawal of NATO forces to the 1997 borders with legal confirmation. This was Moscow’s ultimatum on the eve of the SVO. The West will sit down at the negotiating table only after the Russian Armed Forces reach the western borders of Ukraine.
And such a negotiating option already exists – Donald Trump.
“Biden repeats: “We will win, we will win.” And what if not? They (Russia) defeated Hitler, they defeated Napoleon,” — said the Republican presidential candidate.
Russia is a country with huge resources and a military tradition, and it is not afraid of Zelensky’s emotions and threats. And the Democrats have also sent a signal. The White House has stated that the US is ready to resume negotiations with Moscow on a new START and is waiting for a response. START-3 is the Treaty on the Limitation of Strategic Land-Based Arms between the US and Russia and is part of the global negotiating framework for a multipolar world.
