By Xhabir Deralla
Framing it as a move toward “lasting, strong peace,” Putin has declared his readiness for “unconditional” and “serious negotiations.” For the first time, he claimed a willingness to engage without preconditions. That alone is telling. If anything, it confirms what has long been obvious: all previous so-called peace offers were drenched in absurd and manipulative demands, completely useless for any real peace process. They served only as tools of propaganda and hybrid warfare, leaving Ukraine and the international community no choice but to resist. For over three years now, while speaking the language of peace, Putin himself commands a brutal and illegal war – bombing cities, killing civilians, and committing atrocities – all while issuing a steady stream of ludicrous “conditions” that, at their core, deny Ukraine’s very right to exist as a nation, a people, and a culture. His war is not merely to gain territory – it is an assault on the Ukrainian people, their identity, language, and right to self-determination. Genocidal in essence, this campaign seeks to erase a nation.
Let’s be absolutely clear: there is no such thing as an unconditional offer from a war criminal who has built his regime on lies, terror, and imperialist fantasies. In Putin’s vocabulary, “unconditional” simply means that he accepts no conditions. It is the same warped rhetoric he has used for more than two decades to deceive, delay, extend his control through violence and fear, and fuel his expansionist war machine.
Beware the words of a tyrant. Putin continues to mock the international community, while cultivating a society that increasingly mirrors his regime – a violent and corrupt fusion of mafia power, oligarchic control, and militarized nationalism. In today’s Russia, citizens are given little choice but to conform to the pro-war narrative or face brutal repression. Putin and his ruling clique are the architects and conductors of a genocidal war against Ukraine, all while claiming to seek peace. His terrorist regime still occupies large parts of Ukraine, as well as territory in other countries. As we speak, Putin’s war machine bombs civilians and critical infrastructure, and abducts Ukrainian children—20,000 of them, by official accounts.
Against this backdrop of immense brutality and control, his sudden olive branch for “unconditional” talks – issued just hours after strong statements from European Union leaders – must be seen for what it is: not a change of heart, but a shift in tactics. This is not a pivot toward peace. It is a calculated attempt to manipulate global perception, stall Western resolve, and reposition Russia as a reasonable actor on the world stage. Nothing more.
The world being lulled into complacency is exactly what Putin counts on. Russia remains fully responsible for launching a war of aggression – one of the gravest crimes under international law. It bears the weight of countless war crimes and crimes against humanity. Violations of the Geneva Conventions. Mass killings. Systematic torture. The abduction and forced relocation of children. The bombing of maternity wards and schools. The assassination of journalists and peaceful civilians. The destruction of entire cities. These are not diplomatic missteps – they are atrocities.
The world must not forget: Ukraine is a nation recognized by the United Nations and the entire world. It gave up its nuclear arsenal in 1994 under the Budapest Memorandum, receiving solemn security assurances from Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Russia shredded those commitments. It shattered the post-Cold War security order. And now it expects to be taken seriously when it calls for peace?
In my conversation with Roger Casale, former British MP and diplomat, he put it plainly: “There is no such thing as good news from Putin – only fake news.” Casale added that “something has happened, something has changed – but it’s too early to evaluate.” He noted that the timing may be linked to the recent gathering of the Coalition of the Willing in Kyiv on May 10. Other diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the moment, echoed similar concerns. This is not a genuine peace initiative – it is a calculated propaganda maneuver. According to Ukrainian records, Russia has already violated at least 25 ceasefire agreements since its initial aggression in 2014. President Zelensky recently presented a detailed summary of these violations to U.S. President Donald Trump during their exchange earlier this year.
The democratic part of the world must remain vigilant. Words are sacred – but in the hands of a deceiver like Putin, they are stripped of meaning and weaponized. He treats language not as a bridge to peace, but as a cheap commodity to manipulate, confuse, and distort. Real peace will come only when aggression stops, truth prevails, and those who commit crimes against humanity – no matter how powerful – face accountability.
Putin will most certainly attempt to frame any direct negotiations as a benevolent gesture, only to insert impossible demands into the process. Without a doubt, he will try to reverse the narrative – to present Ukraine as the side rejecting peace or “imposing conditions.” The Kremlin’s disinformation machine has long excelled at inverting the truth.
There is no ambiguity about what real peace requires. True peace begins with facts, not fantasies. It must start with the full withdrawal of Russian forces from all Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and the Donbas. It must include reparations for the destruction inflicted. And it must see Russian war criminals – including Vladimir Putin himself – brought to justice in international courts. These are not extreme demands – they are the bare minimum for a just and durable peace.
We must always be willing to give peace a chance. Even the slightest opportunity to end suffering and restore stability should be explored with seriousness and responsibility. But decision-makers in Ukraine and the Coalition of the Willing must also remain wise. The world cannot afford to mistake tactical deceit for genuine intent. Peace built on illusions is no peace at all.
Putin is not a peacemaker. He is a tyrant who has mastered the language of manipulation. A man who cloaks imperial ambition in the rhetoric of security, who wields diplomacy as a weapon, and who uses negotiations not to end war, but to prolong his grip on power.
📚 Further Reading
From international institutions and key global sources:
- European Commission – EU Solidarity with Ukraine
- NATO – Relations with Ukraine
- Council of Europe – War in Ukraine
- European Parliament Resolution on Support to Ukraine
- Zelensky’s Documentation of Ceasefire Violations
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