Zhivoi Gvozd YouTube channel, 20.06.2025

Why are the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations taking so long and so painful? Because they are constantly trying to drag out the negotiations as much as possible. Who is trying? Both the sides. But one side is advancing, while the other, on the contrary, is losing increasingly more territory.

At the same time, key European leaders are not helping to bring about a ceasefire either. Their calls for a ceasefire are more like creating the illusion for the US President, but, in fact, they are deliberately formulated so aggressively and so undiplomatically that this ceasefire does not happen.

Paradoxically, the only figure who is seeking a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is the President of the United States. What motives and interests Donald Trump has in this situation is a separate question. But even he, as we can see, has not been very successful so far.

All this together, like much else happening in the world today, testifies to the complete failure of international diplomacy.

Why? For example, because such are the leaders in Europe now, because Donald Trump has come to power in the USA. Also because the era of the post-war political world order has ended, and the current world politicians seems not to understand this at all. That is why, for example, right-wing radical forces are gaining strength and coming to power in Europe – this is evidenced by the latest elections in Poland, Austria, Germany, France and Great Britain. These are no longer symptoms or signs of a brewing political crisis, this is a fait accompli. The problem is that today there are no current politicians who would be aware of this and have an idea of ​​what to do about it. The complete failure of the G7 summit in Canada is a clear illustration of this. It is clear that in such circumstances, Russian-Ukrainian negotiations are dragging on.

The only correct decision in this situation is to clearly formulate the main goal at all levels: a ceasefire for the sake of preserving human lives. And this is what we should strive for. As for the terms of the ceasefire, certainly, they must be discussed immediately and meaningfully, but FIRST WE MUST STOP KILLING PEOPLE. Because when the main criterion is human life, and it is impossible to postpone ceasefire negotiations for a week or a month, because every day of continued hostilities means the death of dozens of people. All other issues – territorial, geopolitical and others – will be very difficult to resolve, and this can drag on for years.

If we postpone a real ceasefire and continue to fight, then in the end one of the parties may achieve victory. Which one? Just think.

By the way, the exchange of prisoners and bodies of the killed between Russia and Ukraine represent real steps on both sides towards realising the value of human life. These are steps towards breaking the impasse.

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Grigory Yavlinsky talked on the YouTube channel Zhivoi Gvozd (Living Nail) about the prospects of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations, the war between Israel and Iran, and how to help Lev Shlosberg.