European Solidarity insists on an urgent extraordinary session of the Verkhovna Rada with the mandatory participation of President Volodymyr Zelensky, aiming to hear from him a clear Ukrainian plan for achieving peace and an official clarification regarding the state of the negotiation process
This was stated by co-chair of the faction Iryna Herashchenko in her Facebook post. According to the representative of “European Solidarity,” she dares to outline the main demand: that the Verkhovna Rada be given the opportunity to hear directly from Zelensky what steps and initiatives the Ukrainian authorities are considering amid the current peace negotiations. Particular attention is given to questions concerning the Mineral Agreement, which Zelensky announced as the fourth point of his “ resilience” plan in autumn 2024. Therefore, the question arises: does this agreement remain in the “draft” list of documents aimed at promoting peace and stability in the country? After all, it has become one of the key elements of the package of measures proposed by the Ukrainian government. Herashchenko emphasizes that Ukrainians have the right to know the truth firsthand, rather than receiving information from international media or sources outside our country. Non-European sources, including representatives from the USA, allegedly proposed a so-called “peace plan” to Ukraine and Russia, which, according to the source, essentially boils down to Ukraine’s capitulation (surrender of positions), not a real resolution of the conflict. This raises even greater concern, as Ukrainian citizens deserve to hear an official response and explanation from Ukrainian authorities regarding such “proposals” and the prospects for negotiations. Herashchenko points out that for several months now, government representatives delegated by Zelensky to the negotiation group have been avoiding communication with the Verkhovna Rada for any reason. Minister Andriy Sybiha and Rustem Umerov have repeatedly been absent from meetings dedicated to negotiation issues; they did not respond to inquiries nor provided clear reports on diplomatic efforts. This fuels reasonable doubts about the transparency and openness of the process. “The Ukrainian authorities are obliged,” Herashchenko stresses, “not only to inform the public about the status of the mineral agreement but also to present a clear, realistic peace plan that will strengthen the anti-Putin coalition and help maintain Ukraine’s international support.” That is why the “European Solidarity” faction insists on holding an open meeting with Zelensky and the ministers directly involved in the negotiation process – Sybiha and Umerov – to obtain specific answers to pressing questions. Preconditions for these demands arose at the end of last week: information appeared that the administration of former US President Donald Trump had provided the Ukrainian leadership in Paris with a short document that supposedly constitutes the “final” proposal for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. However, sources within the Ukrainian government report that this proposal is unacceptable to Kyiv because, in their words, it puts Russia in a more advantageous position, while leaving Ukraine uncertain about the real prospects for guarantees and security. Ukrainian officials and politicians express their disapproval of the so-called “peace initiatives,” emphasizing that trust in diplomatic procedures and external agreements should remain a priority. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Julia Sviridenko underlined that Ukraine is ready for negotiations in pursuit of peace but does not intend to surrender or succumb to pressure, which could increase the risk of losing independence and national interests. Thus, the demands of “European Solidarity” correspond to a situation where open communication between the authorities and society becomes the most critical issue. Objectivity, transparency, and realism in government and presidential plans should be among the key tasks during this crisis time, which demands maximum openness and honesty from Ukrainian authorities when explaining their actions to the public. The importance of public dialogue with the president, ministers, and the consultative industry of Ukrainian diplomacy remains one of the main requirements of the faction to prevent the dilution of responsibility and to increase public trust in official actions during the war.