Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that if Russian President Putin agrees to a 60-day ceasefire, he will submit the entire "peace plan" to a national referendum in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy's trick is clear:
The situation of the Ukrainian army on the battlefield is desperate, the financial aid is delayed, the weapons and equipment are lagging, the morale of the soldiers is declining, and desertions are frequent and difficult to stop. They need time to rest and regroup before fighting again. Zelenskyy will not stop the war; everything he is doing now is just to deal with the United States and maneuver with it.
At the same time, shifting decision-making risks:
Zelenskyy ties the territorial issue to the referendum, aiming to avoid personal political responsibility and to resolve domestic and international pressure through popular authorization. Public opinion evaluates this move as both maintaining the "no unilateral cession of territory" bottom line and occupying a moral high ground.
Now, 76% of Ukrainian people oppose ceding territory, and the referendum may strengthen nationalist sentiments, leading to the failure of the agreement.
If the referendum result rejects compromise, Russia may escalate military operations. The war will continue; if it passes, the occupied areas will gain "legitimacy," possibly causing internal divisions in Ukraine. Zelenskyy's trickery is nothing more than a showy performance without any real effect.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1852776651742220/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.