Fervent supporter of Ukraine, the CEO of Tesla has just proposed a peace plan that is likely to cause a stir.
The Russian war in Ukraine, which started on February 24, is entering its eighth month but there is still no end in sight.
The approach of winter suggests that it is possible that this conflict, which Russian President Vladimir Putin hoped would be quick, will continue until at least 2023.
This scenario means thousands of deaths in prospect and continued destruction.
Despite some humiliating setbacks, Moscow and its strongman are not about to back down. kyiv continues to resist and even went on the offensive in certain regions with the military and logistical aid of NATO.
Faced with the status quo, voices calling for a ceasefire are beginning to be heard. Pope Francis has thus called on the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to immediately lay down their arms. The pontiff appealed in their humanity seen as the path through which it is possible to achieve peace.
“The war in #Ukraine has become so serious, devastating and threatening as to cause great concern,” Pope Francis posted on Twitter on Oct.2. “In the name of God and of the sense of humanity that dwells in every heart, I renew my call for an immediate ceasefire. #Russia #Peace.”
A Four-Point Peace Plan
It is in this context that Elon Musk, the most influential CEO in the world and perceived as a supporter of Ukraine has just proposed a peace plan. He submitted it to the vote of users of the social network Twitter where he has more than 107.6 million followers.
This plan is based on four points that will undoubtedly cause controversy.
“Ukraine-Russia Peace,” the billionaire posted on Oct. 3.
– Redo elections of annexed regions under UN supervision. Russia leaves if that is will of the people.
– Crimea formally part of Russia, as it has been since 1783 (until Khrushchev’s mistake).
– Water supply to Crimea assured.
– Ukraine remains neutral.”
Basically, to achieve lasting peace, Ukraine must agree to become neutral, which means not joining the European Union or NATO, Western organizations that Moscow considers a threat to its sovereignty.
kyiv must also recognize that Crimea, a region annexed in 2014 by Russia, is part of Moscow.
Putin in turns must reorganize elections in annexed areas of Ukraine to ask them if they want to remain in the Ukraine or to become Russian territories. Moscow should respect the result of this vote.
Putin and his allies should also guarantee Ukraine’s water supply.
‘How many Die’
Aware that his peace plan will undoubtedly anger the Ukrainian side which has been repeated that the country has been invaded by Russia and that to end the war the aggressor -Moscow – should simply withdraw, Musk warned that there is no realistic alternative.
“This is highly likely to be the outcome in the end,” Tesla’s (TSLA) – Get Tesla Inc. Report CEO said. “Just a question of how many die before then.”
Twitter users have until October 4 to vote no or yes to Musk’s peace plan. But so far the reactions have been overwhelmingly negative. Nearly a million people had already voted at the time of writing.
“Fuck off is my very diplomatic reply to you @elonmusk,” commented Andrij Melnyk, Ukraine Ambassador’s in Germany.
For many Ukrainians, the Musk plan will undoubtedly appear as a betrayal on the part of those who allow them to have secure and independent access to the Internet via Starlink, the satellite Internet access service developed by SpaceX. SpaceX is Musk’s aerospace company.
Two points of the peace plan – the Crimea and neutrality – are indeed very sensitive. But in several interviews last March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready to discuss everything, including Russian-occupied Crimea and Donbass, with his Russian counterpart if Putin agreed to negotiate directly with him.
Crimea, NATO and EU
Russia has made kyiv’s recognition of Crimea as Russian territory one of the conditions for a possible compromise.
Crimea is a peninsula located south of Ukraine, on the Black Sea. Shaped throughout its tumultuous history by different people, it was conquered by Russia in 1783, which began their deportation within the empire and caused many exiles.
Crimea developed in the 19th century as a region appreciated by the Russian elites but above all strategic for the Russian empire thanks to the access to the warm seas that it obtained for its floats the deep-water port of Sevastopol.
In 1954, on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the 1654 Pereyaslav Peace Treaty between Russia and the Cossacks of Ukraine, which for Russians symbolizes the friendship between the Russian and Ukrainian peoples, and in fact the beginning of the integration of Ukraine into the Russian Empire, Crimea is given by Nikita Khrushchev to Ukraine.
The independence of Ukraine in 1991 will raise the question of the identity of Crimea. In 2001, during the last census, Crimeans declared themselves to be of Russian origin at 58.5%, Ukrainians at 24.4% and Tatars at 12.1%. It is, among other things, this large majority of Russians which will be used by Putin to justify the annexation in 2014, even if the latter are indeed Ukrainian citizens.
The international community does not recognize the annexation.
Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but it has regularly expressed its desire to join. This represents a red line for Putin who sees such a prospect as a threat to the security of Russia.
But since 2014, cooperation has been intensified in critical areas between the organization and the country. Last September, Zelensky submitted an application to join NATO.
The question of joining NATO is often coupled, in Ukraine at least, with that of joining the European Union. On February 28, four days after the Russian invasion, Zelensky signed a formal application letter for membership.
