Posted on 10/18/2022 7:55:53 AM PDT by SoConPubbie
Former US ambassador to the Soviet Union, Jack Matlock has admitted that Ukraine’s own actions brought about their own peril with regards to Russia.
“The war might have been prevented – probably would have been prevented – if Ukraine had been willing to abide by the Minsk agreement, recognize the Donbas as an autonomous entity within Ukraine, avoid NATO military advisors, and pledge not to enter NATO,” Matlock said.
“Nevertheless, what was possible even as late as January 2022 may not be possible now. The Russian annexation of additional territory raises the stakes. But the longer the war continues the harder it is going to be to avoid the utter destruction of Ukraine,” he added.
The full quote, posted by The Grayzone’s Aaron Mate on Twitter, can be seen here:
Fmr. US ambassador to the Soviet Union, Jack Matlock: “if Ukraine had been willing to abide by the Minsk agreement, recognize the Donbas as an autonomous entity within Ukraine, avoid NATO military advisors, and pledge not to enter NATO,” war “probably would have been prevented.” pic.twitter.com/F4zDDzEPeX
— Aaron Maté (@aaronjmate) October 17, 2022
Matlock, who helped negotiate an end to the Cold War, penned an op/ed calling for the U.S. to adopt a less aggressive stance against Russia and promote peace between the Russians and the Ukrainians.
“The only practical way to stop the actual fighting would be to agree on a ceasefire. This is difficult for the Ukrainians since they are liberating some of the occupied territories, but the reality is that if the war continues Russia is capable of damaging Ukraine more than Ukraine can damage Russia without risking a wider war,” Matlock said.
“As principal arms supplier to Ukraine, the U.S. should encourage the Ukrainians to agree to a ceasefire. As the sponsor of the most punitive sanctions on Russia, the U.S. should use its leverage to induce Russia to agree to genuine negotiations during a ceasefire,” he continued.
“Negotiations must be conducted in private to be successful, which would require a revival of U.S.-Russia diplomacy. Over the past few years, tit-for-tat expulsions have reduced both countries to skeleton diplomatic staffs. Nevertheless, if there is a will to talk and negotiate, ways can be found. So far, it is the will that seems to be lacking,” Matlock added.
Matlock has been an opponent of NATO expansion, warning since the outset of the conflict that Western globalist imperialism regarding Ukraine initiated hostilities.
“Since Putin’s major demand is an assurance that NATO will take no further members, and specifically not Ukraine or Georgia, obviously there would have been no basis for the present crisis if there had been no expansion of the alliance following the end of the Cold War, or if the expansion had occurred in harmony with building a security structure in Europe that included Russia,” Matlock wrote in February, adding that “NATO expansion was the most profound strategic blunder made since the end of the Cold War.”
Unfortunately for the Ukrainian people, the conflict is not likely to end any time soon because gay-dancing dwarf Volodymyr Zelensky is willing to say anything the military-industrial complex prepares for him to read on a script in front of a green screen. This worthless coward would gleefully sacrifice all his countrymen to keep the lines of blow coming.
How Did the Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk vote in those elections? What about Crimea?
Crimea and the occupied ares of the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts were prevented from participating by Russian troops. Nevertheless, in the free area of Luhansk and Donetsk it can be seen that there was strong support for Zelensky.
Russia already crushed Georgia
This hack may be a former ambassador doesn’t mean he’s right
It is laughable to think Georgia would’ve ever been accepted into NATO
I thought the people of Ukraine overwhelmingly voted for Yanukovich in 2010?
The just demanded that their puppet remain president and they be able to slice off the south of Ukraine whenever they pleased. Other than that, all was milk and honey.
*They just demanded.........
Voting is a strange thing. Apparently the people of the east and south Ukraine wanted to vote for a puppet. Should they be destroyed because of this?
Yep, they voted the right way when armed soldiers came to their homes with ballot boxes and easy to check ballots.
It seems for many pro-war Freepers, their lust for death and violence cannot be sated.
This war will end at the negotiation table or with WW3. It is clear that many here are hoping for the latter.
Lives of young men on both sides are being snuffed out for no reason. Unless there is WW3, this war will change nothing. Eventually the diplomats will negotiate a ceasefire and begin to sort things out, in the meanwhile the powerless suffer.
Yes and civilians too since 2014
You don’t know me, biatch. But because I have a different opinion than you about a corrupt country like Ukraine on the other side of the world, you think it’s okay to insult a fellow freeper. You obviously need help.
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