«They were ready to end the war if we adopt neutrality,» — Arakhamiia on negotiations with the Russian Federation in the spring of 2022

David Arakhamia, head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, who was part of the Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations with Russia in the spring of 2022, said that the Russians promised to withdraw troops in exchange for Ukraine's refusal to join NATO. However, the Ukrainian side did not agree to this, as it was not sure that the Russian Federation would really withdraw from the territory of Ukraine.

David Arakhamiia told about this in an interview with Nataliia Moseichuk.

He said that, in general, at the beginning of the negotiation process, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi set the task for the Ukrainian delegation to make the Russian Federation recognize «that it is possible to talk with us.» I set such a task.

— The Russians promoted the message that Zelenskyi's government is «illegitimate.» And after, it seems, the second session of negotiations, Putin appeared on television and said that «we recognize Zelenskyi's government as legitimate and will negotiate with it.» That is, this phase was successful. That was the first goal, David Arakhamiia recalled.

Next, Ukraine had to delay the negotiations in order to buy time for the Armed Forces.

— That is, we were actually such a smokescreen of the Armed Forces. They (the Russians, note) and I engaged in long discussions, sometimes dragging out time, sometimes, on the contrary, shortening it, giving them some feeling that they were winning in the negotiations, said the people's deputy.

In the end, the Russian Federation offered the Ukrainian delegation peace in exchange for military neutrality and not joining NATO.

— They really hoped almost to the last that they would pressure us to sign such an agreement so that we would accept neutrality. It was the biggest thing for them. They were ready to end the war if we — like Finland once did — take neutrality and give a commitment that we will not join NATO, said the people's deputy.

David Arakhamiia explained why the Ukrainian side refused. According to him, it would be necessary to change the Constitution, since the intention to join NATO is clearly written there. However, this was not the only reason, as Kyiv in general did not trust the Russians and assumed that the Russian troops could enter again, after more thorough preparation. was not sure

— There was no confidence in the Russians that they would really do it. This could be done only if there are security guarantees. We couldn't sign something, leave, everyone would have exhaled there, and then they would come in more prepared. Because they came in really unprepared for such resistance. Therefore, we could only work when there is a hundred percent certainty that it will not happen again. And there is no such confidence, said the People's Deputy.

We remind you that President Volodymyr Zelenskyi does not consider the situation at the front a stalemate and declares that Ukraine will not negotiate with Russia.