Regime change in Russia may be a needed for a peace treaty on Ukraine’s terms – Radosław Sikorski

Radosław Sikorski, member of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, believes that a regime change in Russia may be needed for a peace treaty to be agreed. 

“Regime change in Russia may become a prerequisite for a peace treaty on Ukraine’s terms. Putin will never agree to the conditions that we demand. Even if he did, there is no faith in Putin. No matter what he says, no matter what he signs, I don't think that Ukrainians will believe it, for any reason. It is more likely that after Putin, there is a new leadership that would want to return Russia to the civilized world,” he said at the 17th Yalta European Strategy (YES) Annual Meeting “Ukraine: Defending All Our Freedom”, organised by YES in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

Radosław Sikorski advises against being guided by the example of the Second World War, which ended with the act of unconditional surrender of Germany, but to look for other historical parallels for a peace process.

“I don't think that the Second World War is a point of reference for us. I applaud the Ukrainian military, but I still don't think you are going to storm Moscow,” added the member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov noted that Ukraine does not care if it is Putin or a new leader that will signs the act of surrender.

“Maybe it will not be Putin who will sign the act of surrender, but his successor. His successor might want to pull Russia out of the abyss into which they are falling. The Kremlin simply does not yet realise how dramatically the lives of Russians will change. Therefore, the person or people who will come to power as a result of a rebellion may seek an opportunity to beg Western partners to help draft the act of surrender,” said Oleksii Reznikov.