Ukraine-Russia: Steps towards Peace

Ten Proposals für Negotioations

The situation in Ukraine is dire and already has many immense negative consequences for the whole world. What are the options and are there ways for de-escalation?

The longer the war continues, the more decision-makers and people believe that there will be only a winner and a loser or potentially only losers. Various scenarios could unfold.

In all these options, a long-term peace agreement seems to become less and less possible. How-ever, in the following text, we raise questions and suggest proposals to overcome the current impasses and reduce dilemmas. We are concerned citizens with international experience. We strictly write in our personal names and do not represent the institutions we are affiliated to.

The suffering of the Ukrainian civilian population is immense and needs to be relieved as soon as possible. The longer the conflict goes, the more the destruction and resentment grows on both sides. It makes a future reconciliation much harder.

Therefore, a rapid ceasefire is vital. It is a pre-condition for any negotiation, since bilaterally ne-gotiated agreements cannot be reached and would legally not be valid under the pressure of ongoing military attacks (Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, art.52).

The capacity to rely on mutually trusted and neutral third-party mediators will increase the likeli-hood of a peaceful settlement. The following proposals aim to take into account the concerns, character, and needs of both Ukraine and Russia as well as other nations. Ten elements are proposed to get the two nations back to integrative dynamics. Those ten elements are interrelated. However, they can also be considered and supported one by one.

In light of the fast changing realities and perceptions of this conflict, these proposals are a contri-bution for discussion and are open for adaptation to further developments.

We call on all actors to still give peace a chance.

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