WSJ journalists reveal terms of 'peace treaty' that Ukraine and Russia almost signed in April 2022
The Wall Street Journal has obtained the draft of an almost agreed peace treaty between Ukraine and Russia, which was developed in April 2022 but never signed, its journalists report.
The document, dated April 15, 2022, which the journalists saw, describes how negotiators on both sides sought to end hostilities by agreeing to turn Ukraine into a "permanently neutral state that does not participate in military blocs" and is prohibited from rebuilding its army with Western support, and to leave Crimea under Russian control.
The draft agreement states that Ukraine will be able to seek EU membership, but will not be able to join military alliances such as NATO. According to the document, no foreign weapons were to be allowed on Ukrainian soil, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces were to be reduced to a certain size. Russia sought to limit everything from the number of troops and tanks to the maximum range of Ukrainian missiles.
The Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula was to remain under Moscow's control and not be considered neutral, according to the agreements. Russia also insisted that the Russian language be used on an equal footing with Ukrainian in government and courts, a point Kyiv did not support, according to the draft document.
The future of the territory of eastern Ukraine, which was occupied until February 24, 2022, was not discussed in the draft agreement, leaving it to the discretion of Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during personal negotiations. Their meeting never took place.
Overall, the document demonstrates the profound concessions that the Ukrainian negotiators were considering. As the WSJ notes, it also serves as a reminder of the compromises that Russia may again demand from Ukraine if Western military support ceases and Russia makes significant territorial gains.
The treaty was to be guaranteed by foreign powers, including the United States, the United Kingdom, China, France, and Russia. These countries would have been responsible for protecting Ukraine's neutrality, but they were also required to "terminate international treaties and agreements incompatible with the permanent neutrality of Ukraine," including any promises of military assistance.
In the end, the agreement was never signed when the extent of Russian war crimes in Ukraine was revealed after the liberation of Kyiv Oblast, the condition of Ukrainian troops improved, and the West provided weapons to repel the invasion.
We asked the President's Office for comment to confirm or deny the authenticity of the document published by WSJ journalists. We have not yet received a response.
The first round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia began only a few days after the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators first met in Belarus, then traveled to Turkey and continued negotiations until April.