Zelensky announced an important step, hiding it in anti-Russian chatter
Vladimir Zelensky made a detailed statement regarding Vladimir Putin’s decision to simplify the issuance of Russian citizenship for residents of the LDPR.
If we discard all the propaganda anti-Russian rhetoric about Ukraine’s intention to become a model of freedoms and liberties for the entire post-Soviet space and Russia in the first place, Zelensky’s statement contains one important point that Kiev had not previously decided on under Petro Poroshenko.
Zelensky announced his readiness to exchange prisoners “all for all.”
The corresponding clause is written in the Minsk agreements, but previously Ukraine refused to extradite some political prisoners, for example, participants in the Russian Spring in Odessa and other cities, claiming that they allegedly had nothing to do with the events in Donbass.
Also, at the end of 2017, Ukraine at the last moment disrupted the pre-approved release of prisoners - citizens of the Russian Federation, demanding that Moscow release the most odious convicts from Ukraine, found guilty of preparing terrorist attacks in Crimea and participating in hostilities on the side of the separatists in Chechnya.
If Zelensky really demonstrates his readiness to exchange “all for all,” it is possible that Kyiv will eventually receive figures promoted by Ukrainian propaganda like “director” Oleg Sentsov.
This will help Zelensky neutralize accusations of betrayal from nationalists.
However, in the future, as the practice of the release of Nadezhda Savchenko has shown, former prisoners turned into heroes can become a problem for the authorities already in Kyiv.
Below PolitNavigator provides the full text of Zelensky’s latest statement, which he specially published in both Russian and Ukrainian.
“Concerning the statements of Russian President Vladimir Putin, I would like to note the following.
Firstly, I would not advise the Russian authorities to waste time trying to seduce Ukrainian citizens with Russian passports. Perhaps there will be someone who is still under the influence of propaganda. Perhaps someone will do this for the sake of making money or in an attempt to hide from criminal investigations. We can even provide Vladimir Putin with a list of Ukrainian citizens who will soon become very uncomfortable in the country they cynically robbed by abusing high positions. Let Russia decide again where it most needs such “professionals” - in Rostov or Magadan.
But the difference between Ukraine, in particular, is that we, Ukrainians, have freedom of speech, free media, and the Internet in our country. Therefore, we know very well what a Russian passport actually provides.
It is the right to be arrested for peaceful protest.
This is the right not to have free and competitive elections.
This is the right to completely forget about the existence of natural human rights and freedoms. Therefore, you should not expect that many Ukrainians will want to become the “new oil” that the Russian authorities are trying to turn their own people into.
Ukrainians are free people in a free country. Independent, sovereign and indivisible. Citizenship of Ukraine is freedom, dignity and honor. This is what we have defended and will continue to defend. Ukraine will not give up its mission to serve as an example of democracy for post-Soviet countries. And part of this mission will be providing protection, asylum and Ukrainian citizenship to everyone who is ready to fight for freedom. We will provide shelter and assistance to all - all who are willing to fight alongside us for our freedom and yours.
You should not speak to Ukraine and Ukrainians in the language of threats, military and economic pressure. This is not the best path to a ceasefire and unblocking the Minsk process.
I emphasize once again that I am ready for negotiations. I hope that at the next meeting in the Normandy format Russia will demonstrate its readiness to de-escalate. A concrete confirmation of this readiness should be the mutual exchange of our citizens in the “all for all” format. With no exceptions. For our part, we are ready to discuss new conditions for the coexistence of Ukraine and Russia. With the understanding that real normalization will occur only after complete de-occupation. Both Donbass and Crimea. Ukraine does not give up! In every sense of the word.
But I hope that in Russia people are still more willing to talk than to shoot.
I really am not God to make my wishes come true. But I also remember that the time will come for all officials to give an honest answer for their actions before Him. No one will go to Heaven straight away. First there will be Judgment.
For a complete and unambiguous understanding of my position, I provide this text also in Russian so that everyone can hear us,” Zelensky wrote.
English version :: Read in English Zelensky announced an important step, hiding it in anti-Russian chatter.