BERLIN, April 26. /TASS/. The draft agreement with Ukraine that was to be discussed at the Istanbul talks in 2022 could have prevented hostilities, the deal is still "looks advantageous," Germany’s Welt am Sonntag said after analyzing the 17-page document.

"Looking back, the deal still looks advantageous even after two years of war," it writes, noting that Ukraine’s positions at the talks back then were better than now. Should hostilities be stopped back then "numerous lives would have been saved," the author stressed.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on March 1, 2024 that the draft agreement is no longer topical that is why the Kremlin would not like to make it public. He recalled that Kiev had turned it down at the order from London.

Welt am Sonntag lists a number of provisions that were already cited by the Western mass media, in particular, The Wall Street Journal. These provisions included Ukraine’s permanent neutrality, which implied the refusal from NATO-wards plans. Apart from that, Kiev allegedly committed itself not to manufacture or buy nuclear weapons and not to let foreign troops use its military infrastructure or hold international drills.

Security guarantees

As a reciprocal measure, according to the German newspaper, Moscow was ready to ensure that the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, namely the United Kingdom, China, Russia, the United States, and France, "could grant large-scale security guarantees to Ukraine." "In article five of the draft agreement, Kev and Moscow agreed upon a mechanism resembling the provision on NATO’s collective defense," it said.

In case of an armed aggression against Ukraine, the guarantors undertook to support Kiev in its right to self-defense under the UN Charter within a maximum of three days, Welt am Sonntag said, adding that Crimean and the port of Sevastopol were exempt from security guarantees. "It means that Kiev actually ceded control over the peninsular to Russia," it noted. According to the newspaper, the draft also other parts of eastern Ukraine exempt from security guarantees.

Apart from that, the sides allegedly discussed possible reduction of the Ukrainian army but failed to reach accord. The Russian side allegedly demanded that Ukraine reduce its army to 85,000 troops, tanks to 342, artillery systems to 519, and fighter jets to 102, while Ukraine insisted that its army have 250,000 servicemen, 800 tanks, and 1,900 artillery systems, and 160 fighter jets, Welt am Sonntag wrote.

"Despite the fact that key issues remained open, this draft agreement shows how close the sides were to a possible peace agreement in April 2022," the newspaper noted. "Putin and Zelensky were supposed to settle the outstanding problems during a personal meeting."

The newspaper cited several diplomats who took part in the talks, as saying that both sides were interested in settling the situation. "It was the best deal that could be reached," a member of the Ukrainian delegation told Welt am Sonntag on condition of anonymity.

According to the newspaper, the deal also required the consent from the United Kingdom, China, the United States, and France. "Russia also wanted to involve Belarus and Kiev - Turkey," it added.