Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 'Any kind of peace must be fully agreed by Ukrainians'

According to him, Czechia is an active supporter of the peace formula proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy because "it is a way forward."

"But I do repeat every time I'm asked this question that any kind of peace must be fully agreed by Ukrainians. It cannot be pushed or dictated to Ukrainians. It has to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty," emphasized Lipavský.

The Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs also warned against any ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia similar to the Minsk agreements.

"And what I'm warning against is some kind of Minsk treaty or some variation on truce which would only open path for Russia to rearm itself, to prepare armies for another round in a few years," he said.

Ukrainian Peace Formula

Recall that during his speech at the G20 summit in November 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a peace formula to stop Russia's full-scale invasion. It consists of 10 points:

• radiation and nuclear safety (Russia's withdrawal from the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, renunciation of nuclear threats);
• food security (expanding the grain initiative);
• energy security (protecting Ukraine's energy infrastructure, limiting prices for Russian energy resources);
• release of all captives and deportees (release according to the "all for all" formula);
• compliance with the UN Charter, restoration of territorial integrity, and the global order;
• withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities (restoring Ukraine's control over all sections of the state border with Russia);
• justice (establishing a special tribunal for Russia's aggression against Ukraine);
• ecocide, the urgent need to protect the environment;
• prevention of escalation (signing a security guarantee treaty by allies - the Kyiv Security Compact);
• formal recognition of the end of the war.

The formula has already been supported by the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Finland, and the Baltic countries.

Ukraine-Russia negotiations

After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the countries held several rounds of negotiations, but then they were put "on pause."

Last year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy adopted an NSDC decision on the impossibility of negotiations with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

To resume negotiations, Russia must:

• altogether leave the territory of Ukraine;
• change the political elite;
• acknowledge war crimes;
• extradite the organizers of the war for trial.

Recently, the American channel NBC News, mentioning officials in the EU and the United States, claimed that Western countries had begun privately discussing possible peace talks with Russia. Presumably, they involve some actions on the part of Ukraine.

At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied that the U.S. and the EU are pressuring Ukraine for peace talks with Russia.