Pinchuk suggests "painful compromises" for peace in Donbass: hold unfair elections and forget about the Crimea

Ukrainian businessman Victor Pinchuk offers to agree to the "painful compromises" for the sake of peace in Donbass. He wrote an article in the "Wall Street Journal" concerning this issue, - "Levyj Bereh" reports.

Victor Pinchuk believes that Ukraine has a right to choose its own way and safeguard its territorial integrity. Russia must implement its obligations under the Minsk agreements and ensure enforcement of the cease-fire and the withdrawal of its fighters and heavy weapons. "But this can be part of a larger picture in which we make painful compromises for peace", - is written in the article.

Pinchuk offers the following idea: Ukraine should consider temporarily eliminating European Union membership from its stated goals for the near future. He believes Ukraine can build a European country, be a privileged partner, and later discuss the joining.

Crimea must not get in the way of a deal that ends the war in the east on an equitable basis. The businessman thinks that it will take Ukraine 15 to 20 years to generate enough economic growth and stabilize the infrastructure, social safety net and financial system. Everyone from Crimea will then want to live in this future Ukraine - just as East Germans wanted to become part of West Germany.

The local elections could be possibly held even before the moment Ukraine has full control over its territory. Pinchuk agrees that these elections will be unfair but in his opinion, such compromises may demonstrate Ukraine’s commitment to peaceful reunification.

Ukraine will not join NATO in the near- or midterm. The offer is not on the table, and if it were, it could lead to an international crisis of unprecedented scope. That’s why Pinchuk believes that Ukraine should pursue an alternative security arrangement and accept neutrality as a near-term vision for the future.

Pinchuk writes that in exchange for these compromises Ukraine will need real security guarantees.

"In the 1994 Budapest Memorandum the U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China gave security assurances in exchange for Ukraine giving up its nuclear arsenal. We trusted this agreement but learned painfully when Russia invaded Crimea that assurances are not guarantees. Ukraine must offer realistic, detailed proposals on all of these points. We should also make clear that we are ready to accept an incremental rollback of sanctions on Russia as we move toward a solution for a free, united, peaceful and secure Ukraine", - Pinchuk stated.

He thinks that the Ukrainian lives that will be saved are worth such painful compromises.