This archive report was first published on 12 December 2019.
Published on December 12, 2019, a day after a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Paris, it's clear that Ukraine's hopes for peace are fading fast.
Before the meeting, Putin warned that no agreements with Ukraine would be possible without the approval of the 'People's Republics' of Luhansk and Donetsk. This effectively means that two Ukrainian provinces with a combined area of over 20,000 square miles and a population of almost six million people would remain under the rule of Moscow-backed separatists.
President Zelensky had made peace a central plank of his election campaign, believing in the West's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty. However, after five years of fighting, sanctions, and Russia's stonewalling, the West appears to be afflicted by 'Ukraine fatigue.'
Germany and France, which have taken the lead in ending the Ukrainian conflict, favor an 'accommodation' with Moscow. Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is stepping down in 2021, would like to crown her legacy with a diplomatic victory. Meanwhile, France's President Emmanuel Macron wants to 'rethink' Europe's 'strategic relations with Russia,' which could further undermine Ukraine's chances of peace.
