Before the “Great Battle” .. 3 messages from Moscow to Kiev and the world
Moscow's renewal of its willingness to return to negotiations with Kyiv bore indications about its position on the protracted war and on a peaceful solution, at a time when the two countries are mobilizing their forces for what is expected to be the fiercest battles of the Ukraine war in Kherson Province
On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced his country's readiness to sit at the negotiating table, accusing Washington of "ordering" Kyiv to withdraw from the negotiations last March, at a time when "a very difficult balance was reached
The Ukrainian response came quickly, with President Volodymyr Zelensky denying negotiations, "as long as the Russian bombing continues on the Ukrainian infrastructure
According to the clarifications of the expert in international relations, Abdul Masih Al-Shami, to the "Sky News Arabia" website, Russian President Vladimir Putin, by calling for negotiations, "sends a final warning to Kiev and the world, that he is not the one who closed the door to a peaceful solution before the outbreak of the Kherson battle
Frequent Russian invitations
Over recent days, statements by Russian officials have carried calls for dialogue
The Russian ambassador to Britain, Andrei Kelin, stated that negotiations are possible" with Kyiv
The Russian Embassy in Berlin welcomed the offer of the residents of the German city of Stralsund to host the peace negotiations
Last September saw similar calls; On May 5, Moscow hinted at the possibility of restoring relations with the West through negotiation
On September 11, the Foreign Ministry stressed that Moscow "does not refuse dialogue with Kyiv
On October 10, the Kremlin confirmed that it "does not rule out a resumption of negotiations with the West
Field situation
Expressing a desire to negotiate, Moscow and Kiev continued to mobilize the military for a major battle in Kherson, southern Ukraine, and its features include
Moscow launched 40 attacks of multiple launch missile systems, and 15 air raids in Kherson
Within a week, Russian bombing destroyed 30 percent of Ukraine's power plants
Russia sent a thousand soldiers to Kherson to reinforce the front
The Ukrainian army destroyed 8 weapons units of Russia in Zaporizhia, and shot down two Ka-52 helicopters and a Sukhoi
Meaning of the invitation
In statements to "Sky News Arabia", Al-Shami believes that the timing of Russia's invitation to negotiate "has 3 indications
The first is that Russia does not want to prolong the 10-month war
The second: The Russian proposal confirms that a political solution is Russia's first option, after the annexation of the four Ukrainian regions to its lands
The third: a clear warning to Zelensky before entering the Kherson battle, to let Putin know the world and Ukraine, that it may be the last chance for any political solution; To avoid accusing his country of being the one who closed the peaceful door
Russian-European agreement
"The Russian statements follow a wave of desires from European countries, which are suffering economically from the war, so these statements are seized as a pressure card on Zelensky to negotiate," according to Al-Shami
The political analyst enumerates references to this position
On September 13, the European Union's Foreign and Security Policy Commissioner, Josep Borrell, called on Kyiv to negotiate with Moscow
On September 22, Paris stressed the return of negotiations
On October 10, the French Foreign Ministry reiterated its support for negotiations on Ukraine's terms
On October 25, French President Emmanuel Macron invited Washington to the negotiating table on Ukraine
Washington goals
Moscow points an accusing finger of obstructing the negotiations at Washington, and in this regard, Al-Shami believes that the American response came quickly, saying
The White House announced that it would leave the negotiation decision to Ukraine on its own terms
"Washington wants to prolong the war to bring Europe into a direct war against Moscow, to drain the two sides militarily and economically, and to blow up any possible alliance between them in the fields of energy and industry, so the war now is Russian-American