As a condition for peace, the Russians demanded that Ukraine remain neutral and not join NATO and other blocs. In principle, this is an acceptable condition. The question is how neutral Ukraine will be able to protect itself from a possible new Russian aggression, or NATO aggression.
My answer is this: Ukraine should bet on its own forces, and not on participation in NATO. Neutrality must be backed up by its own strength. The demand for the «demilitarization» of Ukraine contradicts the demand for neutrality. It cannot be the basis for making peace.
Ukraine will be able to use the economic assistance of the West in order not only to restore the economy and infrastructure, but also to significantly build up armaments and the army, and create a developed military industry.
We witnessed that even with the complete superiority of the Russians in the air, a huge advantage in armored vehicles, missiles, and the power of fire, the Ukrainians were able to give a worthy rebuff to the aggressors.
Ukraine has the right to demand back the nuclear warheads that were once transferred to Russia. After all, Russia violated the conditions, “security guarantees”, under which the Ukrainians gave up their nuclear weapons. Neither Russia nor NATO will dare to arrange aggression against nuclear power. A strong state does not need an «umbrella».
I will not propose the terms of a territorial compromise. Still, I think that it would be logical to hold a second referendum in Crimea and Donbas. After careful preparation with the participation of both parties, Ukraine and Russia, under the control of third countries and the UN.
The question of the state language of Ukraine will be decided by the Ukrainians themselves, this is their sovereign right. As we have seen, Russian-speaking Ukrainians, and Russians living in Ukraine, fight against the aggressor no worse than those who speak pure Ukrainian. Do not split Ukraine because of the language.
I am of the opinion that the Russian language should be recognized as the second state language of Ukraine, on a par with Ukrainian. As, for example, Arabic serves as the second state language of Israel, along with Hebrew.
