Explaining complex things in simple words: Self-defense right, Putin's illegitimacy, peace ways

The Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security pursues efforts to provide a brief explanation to foreign audiences on the current topics of particular interest as regards Ukraine.     

SELF-DEFENCE RIGHT

On May 2, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that Ukraine has the right to use weapons provided by London to strike targets on the territory of the Russian Federation, and that Kyiv should decide for itself whether to do so.

  • Ukraine is waging a just defensive war and, within the framework of the legal right to self-defense, attacks military targets on the territory of the aggressor state.
  • All Ukrainian attacks on legitimate military targets on the territory of the Russian Federation are carried out with Ukrainian weapons and ammunition
  • Ukraine adheres to agreements with international partners not to use Western weapons for attacks on targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.
  • However, the use of modern Western weapons for targets on the territory of the Russian Federation can significantly affect the success of the Defence Forces of Ukraine.
  • We are grateful to Mr. Cameron for his statement, and we expect that other partners will also review their position and terms of military aid. 

PUTIN'S ILLEGITIMACY

Putin's ‘’inauguration’’ is expected to take place on May 7, after a pseudoelections in March 2024.

  • Putin is a dictator and usurper of presidential powers. He is not a legitimate leader of the Russian Federation.
  • Putin's dictatorship has ruled Russia for almost a quarter of a century. During this time, the constitution was repeatedly violated and changed, just to preserve the power of one person.
  • Modern Russia is a totalitarian state in which the opposition is destroyed, human rights are systematically violated, and there is no independent media. Under such conditions, alternative elections are impossible in Russia.
  • The 2024 elections in Russia are rigged. There are numerous confirmations of this, throw in ballots are recorded at separate polling station, and the mathematical analysis of the announced results does not confirm Putin's victory.
  • The pseudo-election procedures at the TOT of Ukraine, which involved hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian citizens, violate the norms of international law and turn Putin's election into a bloody farce.
  • The international community should show Putin his place as an illegitimate usurper. Such an approach will not encourage Putin's tyranny to continue terror. 

PEACE WAYS

On June 15-16, an International Peace Summit will be held in Switzerland at the invitation of Ukraine.

  • Ukraine is interested in ending the war and establishing a safe, just and stable peace.
  • Ukraine's peace initiatives were formulated as early as 2022 in President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula, which is based on norms and principles of international law.
  • The Peace Summit is convened to consolidate the international community around the Ukrainian Peace Formula. Then, the international coalition will put pressure on the aggressor state in a consolidated manner.
  • Currently, the involvement of the Russian Federation in the Peace Summit is unpromising and counterproductive. During the years 2014- 2022, Kyiv had almost 200 rounds of negotiations with Moscow, but all of this ended with the perfidy of the aggressor.
  • All our positions, on the battlefield, in diplomacy, and in the information field, must be equally strong. The Summit will be a real step towards establishing peace for Ukraine and Europe.

Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security