Former military attaché to Russia Efraim Michaeli says Kiev should have renounced its NATO aspirations to avoid the bloodshed
Former Israeli military attaché to Russia Efraim Michaeli has likened Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, claiming that Kiev is effectively promoting a never-ending military conflict with Moscow. The retired colonel also said Ukraine could have avoided the confrontation by renouncing its aspirations to join NATO.
Explaining the need for military action against the neighboring state in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin cited Kiev’s plans to become a member of the US-led military bloc, calling it a threat to national security.
Last Friday, German daily Die Welt, citing a draft treaty, reported that Kiev and Moscow were close to reaching a peace deal in spring 2022. The accord apparently envisaged “permanent neutrality” on the part of Ukraine, as well as guarantees that it would not allow foreign weapons and troops on its soil.
Russian officials earlier confirmed that the two belligerents had made significant progress toward a peace deal, claiming that then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had derailed it. Johnson has denied these claims.
In an interview with Israeli YouTube blogger Alex Tseitlin on Monday, Michaeli described the conflict between Ukraine and Russia as the result of a major collective mistake by all key powers. However, according to the former military attaché, “first of all, it’s President Zelensky who is to blame.”
“He has betrayed his people. He should have said that Ukraine was not aspiring to join NATO, and then there would have been no war,” Michaeli said.