Terrifying revelation - Putin had warned Bush (US) of war with Ukraine since 2001 - Zelensky's plan a mockery

The latest developments certify that Russia is on the right side of history regarding the war with Ukraine. As revealed by transcripts of conversations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George W. Bush Jr., Russia as early as 2001 warned the USA of a major conflict should Ukraine seek NATO membership. These warnings lasted until 2008, with Russia constantly pointing out that such a move would constitute a threat to its security. In short, Putin is fully vindicated, having made Moscow's "red lines" clear since the early years of his presidency—lines that the West provocatively violated.

At the same time, the mouthpiece of the West, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is doing everything in his power to sabotage any attempt at a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis. The 20-point peace plan he released and the leak of terms discussed in negotiations prove that Zelensky does not desire peace and that his concern is for the war to continue, whatever the cost to the Ukrainians. It is obvious that Russia rejects the 20-point plan as unacceptable. As President Putin has signaled several times, until Ukraine shows a disposition for serious negotiations, the Russian army will continue achieving Moscow's set goals on the battlefield.

Putin warned as early as 2001

Long before the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022, Putin warned the USA that Moscow would oppose Ukraine's NATO membership. This is confirmed by transcripts of conversations between Putin and President George Bush Jr. in June 2001 in Slovenia and later through 2008, published by the U.S. National Security Archive. When the issue of possible NATO membership for Ukraine was raised, Putin warned that this would cause a major conflict with the West: "I would like to emphasize: the entry into NATO of a country like Ukraine will create in the future a field of conflict for you and for us, a long-term confrontation. The installation of military bases and new military systems near Russia creates a threat. This situation brings uncertainties and threats to us. Russia would be forced to work constantly to prevent NATO expansion."

Ukraine is a complex state

In these talks, Putin questioned the viability of the Ukrainian state if it moved toward NATO. "Ukraine is a very complex state. It is not a nation that was formed naturally. It is an artificial country, created during the Soviet Union," Putin stated, emphasizing that "Ukraine is full of people with very different views" and warning that the issue of NATO membership could cause internal division.

It could collapse

"Due to the difference of opinion between different parts of the population on the NATO issue, the country may simply collapse," Putin warned his American counterpart. In fact, Putin pointed out to Bush that for a significant part of Ukrainians, NATO is a hostile organization. "70% of the population is against NATO," the Russian president stressed, arguing that "in any case, we must wait until the majority of the population expresses its opinion in favor of this membership and then allow them to join, and not the opposite."

Incredible that Russia left so many territories

In these conversations, Putin described as "incredible" the fact that Moscow accepted the dissolution of the Soviet Union. "What actually happened? The goodwill of the Soviet Union changed the world. Russia voluntarily gave up thousands of square kilometers of territory. Incredible!" – he said, referring to Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and the Caucasus as regions from which, in his view, Russia withdrew by decision of its leaders.

Open approach with NATO

Furthermore, in the 2001 transcripts, it was recorded that Putin left open the possibility of a Russian rapprochement with NATO. He stated that Russia "feels excluded" due to the expansion of the Alliance, recalling the Soviet application for NATO membership in 1954 and arguing that the reasons for the refusal at that time no longer apply. "Russia is a European and multinational country, like the United States. Perhaps Russia could be an ally," Putin had mentioned in a closed meeting with Bush, according to these documents.

Zelensky the saboteur of peace

Over these 25 years, the stance of the West resulted in the Russian and Putin's disposition for rapprochement changing dramatically. Despite this, and while the Russian army continues to achieve its objectives daily at the front, Moscow signals that it wants a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis. However, it again finds part of the West against it, especially Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It is clear that Zelensky is doing everything to sabotage any resolution attempt. He is the one leaking the terms discussed in negotiations, even when Russia and the USA emphasize that these discussions should be conducted with seriousness and not in the public sphere.

Security guarantees

In this 20-point plan, it is stated that Ukraine must receive security guarantees according to Article 5 of the NATO agreement. Of course, it should be noted that the field of interpretation for this article is quite broad. There is a view according to which the document does not obligate signatories to immediately enter a conflict in the event of an attack on one of the alliance countries. Trump himself had spoken of something similar in the summer before the summit in The Hague. Ukraine wants to receive protection from the military bloc and guarantees that in case of a resurgence of conflict, regular military forces—not just "instructors" from the USA and Western Europe—will be at Ukrainian positions. Meanwhile, no obligation imposed on NATO members should apply to Kyiv. Zelensky demands all this while the Trump administration explicitly states that the expansion of the alliance harms the USA and that the bloc is becoming a burden for Americans.

Russia rejects the plan as unacceptable

Russia rejects Zelensky's 20-point plan as unacceptable. Russia has signaled categorically that the Ukrainian army must withdraw permanently and irrevocably from all of the Donbass. Furthermore, the Russians emphasize they will not hold any discussions regarding Donbass, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, territories that belong to Russia according to the Russian Constitution. Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled that if Kyiv does not come to negotiations with a real disposition to resolve the actual causes of the war, then the goals set by Moscow will be implemented by the Russian army.

New York Times: Russia will reject Zelensky's 20-point peace plan

Russia will reject the 20-point peace plan presented by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as it proposes no compromise. This is argued by the New York Times, citing statements from Russian analysts. "This is a total mockery. The idea is clear: to present it to the Americans as a compromise and then blame Russia for its failure," Moscow-based international affairs analyst Alexey Naumov told the newspaper. "The plan proposes no compromise regarding territories or the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. The inability to resolve the territorial issue makes this plan unfeasible," said Russian analyst Georgy Bovt, referring to the plant held by Russia which Ukraine wishes to operate in cooperation with the USA, excluding Russia. The NYT estimates that Russia can reject the plan as its economy still withstands the war, while the constant flow of recruits covers losses at the front. On the other hand, Russia is interested in peaceful negotiations to maintain relations with Washington and avoid the strengthening of sanctions. According to commentators, negotiations will continue as the conflict is prolonged.

What is mentioned regarding the territorial issue

As Zelensky underlined regarding the 20-point plan, the territorial issue is the most difficult point. Specifically, according to one of the options, Russia withdraws from the regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv. In the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, the current status is maintained: we stay where we are. Moscow wants Ukraine to withdraw from the Donetsk region, while the USA proposes a compromise: a free economic zone. According to Kyiv, if there is no agreement on the "we stay where we are" formula, the free economic zone can only be introduced through a referendum.

Proposal for the Zaporizhia nuclear plant

From the Ukrainian president's formulations, a second point emerges where no agreement has been reached: the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. Specifically, it is mentioned that the USA proposes joint management of the plant by Ukraine, the USA, and Russia, with each side receiving a share of the profits according to a 33% formula for each, while the main manager would be America. Ukraine's compromise proposal involves joint operation of the plant with the USA and Ukraine on a 50-50 basis. Additionally, it states that the Zaporizhia nuclear plant, the city of Enerhodar, and the Kakhovka dam must be demilitarized.

The 20 points of the plan

According to Zelensky, the 20 points of the peace plan include:

1. Ratification of Ukraine's sovereignty.

2. Non-aggression agreement between Russia and Ukraine, monitoring of the contact line.

3. Security guarantees.

4. The number of Armed Forces of Ukraine must reach 800,000 people in peacetime.

5. The USA, NATO, and Europe will provide Ukraine with security guarantees according to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. In case of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, a military response and restoration of sanctions will be provided.

6. Russia will codify a policy of non-aggression toward Europe and Ukraine in all necessary laws.

7. Ukraine will become a member of the EU within a specified timeframe.

8. A global development package for Ukraine, to be defined in a separate investment agreement.

9. Creation of several funds for restoration issues. The goal is to attract $800 billion.

10. Ukraine will accelerate the process of concluding a free trade agreement with the USA.

11. Non-nuclear status for Ukraine.

12. Status of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

13. Commitment by Ukraine and Russia to implement educational programs in schools that strengthen understanding and tolerance toward various cultures.

14. Status of the occupied territories.

15. Obligation of Russia and Ukraine not to change agreements by force.

16. Russia will not obstruct the use of the Dnieper River and the Black Sea by Ukraine for commercial activities.

17. Exchange of prisoners according to the "all for all" principle.

18. Ukraine must conduct elections as soon as possible after the signing of the agreement.

19. Legal bindingness of the agreement. Implementation will be monitored by the Peace Council, headed by Donald Trump.

20. After approval of the document by the parties, a full cessation of hostilities will immediately take effect.

Additions

Apart from the basic plan with these points, additional supplements are being discussed for the following: • Trilateral document (Ukraine, USA, and Europe) on security guarantees. • Bilateral document – security guarantees from the USA for Ukraine. • Roadmap for Ukraine's prosperity – a document drafted with the USA for restoration and economic development, including a vision for growth through 2040.

Unacceptable plan

The provisions concerning territorial issues and the management of the Zaporizhia nuclear plant are absolutely unacceptable for Russia, argued Russian MP Alexey Chepa. "First of all, we saw no specific mention in Zelensky's statement about whether Ukraine will join NATO or not. Regarding the Zaporizhia nuclear plant, we had proposed a compromise for joint management with the USA. Ukraine's participation in management would only add risks," the Russian MP pointed out, stating that the territorial provision will require significant revision. "Neither the USA nor Russia has revealed the content of preliminary agreements. This stance is deliberate, because for the process to be effective, it does not need to be constantly projected, otherwise forces opposing peace could enter the game," the politician explained. For his part, Dmitry Novikov, first deputy chairman of the Russian Duma's Committee on International Affairs, called the Zelensky plan "obvious manipulation."

"Signal" to Moscow

Bogdan Bezpalko, a member of the Council for National Affairs under the President of Russia, notes that Zelensky's statement refusing to cancel martial law in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire shows that the president does not want elections, expressing readiness to continue the armed conflict with Russia. "In the context of the 'peace plan' published by Ukrainian media, such statements sound even more convincing, as they show that Zelensky does not desire any real peaceful solution and regime change," Bezpalko stressed. The Russian political analyst pointed out that Zelensky's refusal to cancel mobilization clearly shows Kyiv's intention to continue military confrontation. Bezpalko added that the Ukrainian leader's statement can be taken as a signal to Moscow of the rejection of a peaceful conflict resolution.

Deadlock due to Zelensky's intransigence

Ukrainian journalists present at the meeting with President Zelensky clarified that the points presented are the current version of the peace agreement agreed upon by Ukraine and the USA, but without Russia's changes. However, this is not particularly important right now, as Zelensky admitted that at the critical point concerning territories, there is no compromise: he does not agree to the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbass. Without resolving this issue, no progress is possible on all other points. Although the President of Ukraine constantly points out that the withdrawal of troops is a demand only from Russia, while the USA "proposes compromise solutions," according to numerous media leaks and Trump's hints, the withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the Donetsk region is a demand of both Moscow and Washington. From Zelensky's words, it appears he does not want to comply with this demand, proposing "to stand where we are," stopping the war at the front line. Russia does not agree to this.

Creation of a free economic zone in Donbass

Zelensky leaves open the possibility of creating some free economic zone in Donbass. However, first, it is not clear exactly what this means. In Trump's plan published in the media, no free economic zone was mentioned. Instead, it stated that after the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk region, a demilitarized zone would be created, which would be under Russian control. This means the Russian army would not enter, but all other Russian structures (civil administrations, police, FSB, Russian National Guard, etc.) would be present. According to statements by the assistant to the Russian president, Yuri Ushakov, Moscow seems to agree with this scenario.

Withdrawal scenario

Secondly, perhaps Zelensky uses the term "free economic zone" to cover his potential readiness to withdraw troops from the Donetsk region and hand over control to Russia. However, he adds the necessary condition of conducting a referendum on this issue. As he has stated in the past, for this to happen, military operations at the front line must stop, something to which Russia has already responded negatively. Also, the referendum result would likely be negative. In other words, Ukrainian authorities continue to be unwilling to satisfy the critical demand of the USA and Russia.

The big question

Undoubtedly, the big question remains whether Moscow will agree to the remaining points of this plan, as well as the absence of certain positions that were in Trump's original 28-point plan. For example, the formalization of the absence of claims between Ukraine and Russia regarding the outcomes of the war. However, without resolving the issue of territories, this does not matter much, as territories are the key.

Trump's stance

From various media reports, it appears Trump is trying to change Kyiv's stance regarding the withdrawal of troops from Donbass through the "carrot" – security guarantees for Ukraine, which in Zelensky's plan are equated with Article 5 of NATO. But so far, this "carrot" has not convinced Zelensky to make territorial concessions. The reason is clear: Kyiv strongly doubts if the USA and NATO are truly ready to get involved militarily in favor of Ukraine or at least intercept Russian missiles in case of a new conflict. Therefore, Zelensky is ready to accept the "carrot" and promote the "safest" security guarantees, yet he is unlikely to make serious concessions for it.

Only under pressure

Kyiv's stance regarding the withdrawal of troops and other controversial conditions can change only in case of very fierce pressure from Trump or a serious deterioration of the situation at the front. But it is not certain if such a serious deterioration will occur. Furthermore, if it does, Russia's demands may become even stricter. It also remains uncertain if Trump is ready to exert further pressure on Kyiv to accelerate the change in Zelensky's position. Essentially, this is the key to the course of negotiations.

Zelensky's pursuit

Zelensky will likely try to reverse the situation in his favor, convincing Trump to agree with his own version of the plan, which includes points Moscow will certainly reject, and then call on Washington to start pressing the Kremlin, not Kyiv. But here too, it is not clear if Trump is ready to do so, given that any pressure measures toward Russia (sanctions, deliveries of new types of weapons) will not bring an immediate result in the form of a significant relaxation of the Russian stance, but could lead to a sudden escalation in Russia-USA relations, even to nuclear war threats.

The scenarios and the 3 paths

Therefore, it is possible that Trump will choose the option of allowing the sides to fight a little longer, waiting for a change in the situation on the battlefield or internally in Ukraine or Russia to create more favorable conditions for a peace agreement. However, this could take a long time. In less than a year, mid-term elections will take place in the USA, where Trump's opponents will surely mention the failure of his efforts to end the war. Thus, the critical question is which of the three paths (pressure on Kyiv, pressure on Moscow, or simply waiting) Trump will choose in the near future. At this point, the ball of peaceful negotiations is in his court, and not in the court of Zelensky or Putin.

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