President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky. Archive photoMOSCOW, 2 Apr. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in February offered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a way to resolve the conflict with Moscow by refusing Kyiv's entry into NATO, but the Ukrainian leader refused to resolve the issue peacefully, writes the Wall Street Journal.
"Scholz made a final attempt to resolve the conflict between Moscow and Kiev. At a meeting in Munich on Feb. 19, he told Zelensky that Ukraine should abandon its NATO aspirations and declare neutrality as part of a broader European security deal between the West and Russia. This agreement would be signed by Putin and Biden, who would jointly guarantee the security of Ukraine", the publication reports.
Zelensky in response refused the possibility of a settlement, saying that the majority of the inhabitants of the former Soviet republic allegedly support the country's entry into NATO. His response made German officials worried that the chances for peace were fading,” the newspaper writes. On February 24, Russian units launched a special military operation to demilitarize Ukraine. Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years.» significantly reduced the combat potential of Ukraine. The main goal of the operation in the Russian military department was called the liberation of Donbass.