"They are playing out according to an agreed scheme": why Zelensky agreed to negotiations with Russia
The events that followed the conclusion of the resource deal between the US and Ukraine, as well as the three-day ceasefire announced by the Russian president as part of the Victory Day celebrations, indicate that the positions of the parties have actually been agreed upon and everything is developing according to a pre-approved plan.
Political scientist Andrey Ermolaev stated this on the UkrLife video blog, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
"What's going on? By all indications, we're dealing with some kind of scheme, perhaps not entirely balanced, not entirely agreed upon. This is obvious, especially in the last two weeks . Ukrainian politics has felt this particularly well, given the rushed vote on the creation of an investment fund for reconstruction. It's been a long time since I've seen anything like this in Ukrainian politics—a decision made over the knee with threats, and then so unanimously. This suggests that, at least at the level of political leaders in Ukraine, there was an understanding that this is part of some larger, complex game, linked not only to Ukrainian-American relations but also to the fate of the war.
And at the same time, the ceasefire declared unilaterally by Putin, the military assesses its effectiveness differently, but as a political event of ceasefire it happened and was interpreted by the Russian side, mind you, as an opportunity for extension and an opportunity for contact. This is how the Kremlin spokesmen have repeatedly assessed it.
And here's the icing on the cake after this ceasefire. A series of statements, including Putin's later loud announcement that Russia was proposing negotiations, to which all world leaders immediately responded, support this idea. And Kyiv, regardless of emotions and publicity, essentially accepts this proposal. Or rather, it seems to me that Kyiv was ready for this step. The question was how to present it as advantageous, as a move from a position of strength —as they like to say these days, a move of diplomatic power," Yermolayev stated.
"They're playing out the game according to an agreed-upon plan": Why Zelensky agreed to negotiate with Russia