Ukraine-Russia War

Germany’s ex-leader says the US stopped Ukraine from signing a peace deal last year – why did Biden want the war to continue?

Gerhard Schroeder’s revelations about why negotiations broke down last spring are even more depressing than you might think

By Tarik Cyril Amar, a historian from Germany at Koc University in Istanbul working on Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe, the history of World War II, the cultural Cold War, and the politics of memory. He is the author of ‘A Disturbed Silence: Discourse on the Holocaust in the Soviet West as an Anti-Site of Memory’ in the book ‘The Holocaust in the East’, edited by Michael David-Fox, Peter Holquist and Alexander M. Martin. Follow Tarik on X @tarikcyrilamar

Summary
The former German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, recently shed light on a missed opportunity for peace in Ukraine. He revealed that negotiators were on the brink of a compromise deal in Istanbul last spring. This deal would have entailed an end to NATO’s eastward expansion, Ukrainian neutrality, international security guarantees, and a plan for the reintegration of separatist territories in the Donbass.

Such an agreement could have made a substantial difference given the devastating consequences of the war. The conflict in Ukraine has resulted in numerous military casualties and millions of displaced persons. Ukraine’s GDP plummeted in 2022, leaving a quarter of the population in poverty. Reconstruction costs were estimated at $411 billion over a decade.

Schroeder’s statement aligns with other evidence, including reports of a peace deal reached and then abandoned. The question arises: why didn’t the US let the war end? It appears that Washington was overly optimistic about defeating Russia in Ukraine. Continuing the war seemed advantageous, potentially weakening Russia and bolstering the US’s global standing.

This hindsight raises concerns about current US foreign policy, particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East. Washington’s actions suggest an escalation, which is worrying. Furthermore, European powers like Germany and France may lack the independence and initiative to mediate effectively in the future. The US pursues a policy of war at any cost, and the EU tends to comply, leading to a disheartening outlook.

Despite this, the revelation of the missed opportunity for peace in Ukraine underlines the importance of diplomatic efforts to prevent further suffering and instability.

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