The Kremlin is successfully posturing as a legitimate, impartial mediator for the war in Donbas despite being a belligerent in the conflict. Claims that the Kremlin-initiated peace process is stabilizing the war in Donbas misrepresent the reality of the Kremlin’s actions and objectives. The Kremlin exploited Ukraine’s goodwill withdrawal of troops from portions of the front lines and continues to consolidate control over proxies in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian officials are advancing Kremlin-initiated peace processes while the Kremlin continues to pursue its objectives of regaining control of Ukraine’s decision-making and removing international constraints on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
OP-ED
Nataliya Bugayova, George Barros: The Kremlin’s fake de-escalation
Observers with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) look at the serial numbers of weapons as they monitor the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces near Bohdanivka village in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, on Nov. 9, 2019.
