Russian Conditions for End War & Intentions – Samir Humbatov

Samir Humbatov, Head of the Center for International Relations and Diplomatic Studies

The 16th day of Russia’s war to occupy Ukraine is behind us. During this period, the Ukrainian side was subjected to a serious occupation, cities, towns and villages were destroyed, infrastructure was severely damaged, and many civilians and servicemen lost their lives. As the war continues, the damage to Ukraine cannot be fully calculated.

Of course, this war has dealt a serious blow not only to Ukraine, but also to Russia militarily, and it still does. According to the latest statistics, Russia has lost more than 12,000 lives. According to the latest information, even two generals were lost in this war.

However, Russia does not want to show that Putin intends to end the war. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, who took part in the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya, Turkey yesterday, also met on the initiative and with the participation of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, but to no avail.

Of course, it became clear that the main desire and goal to stop the war is different. Today, according to the latest information, Russian President Vladimir Putin has set six conditions for Ukraine to end the war. These are;

1. Ukraine’s renunciation of NATO membership.
2. Russian is the second state language in Ukraine.
3. Recognition of Crimea as Russian territory
4. Recognition of the so-called PRC and PRC by Ukraine.
5. De-Nazification: Prohibition of ultra-nationalist parties and public organizations.
6. De-Militarization of Ukraine: Complete renunciation of offensive weapons.

Although Russia’s claims may seem ordinary at first glance, they could be seen as a sign of Russia’s long-hidden concerns.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who held a press conference after meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister at the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya yesterday, also raised the issue of the Russian language, which reflects the intentions and goals of the Kremlin administration.

The events that began in Kazakhstan in January 2022, such as the recent deprivation of Russian of the status of the state language in Kazakhstan, the writing of advertisements in Kazakh, the decision to switch from the Cyrillic alphabet to the Latin alphabet, were considered one of the reasons irritating Russia. According to reports after the events in Kazakhstan, serious steps have been taken to restore the Russian language in Kazakhstan.

These two examples show that one of the main principles of Russia’s foreign policy strategy is the spread of the Russian language and Russian culture, which can be  dangerous for other post-Soviet states.