The Ukraine conflict, now well into its third year, could have ended within weeks of its start if not for Western interference, according to Vladimir Medinsky, the head of Russia’s negotiating delegation at the early peace talks in Gomel and Istanbul. In comments made after a significant prisoner exchange agreement between Russia and Ukraine, Medinsky emphasized that early peace was within reach-until political pressure from Western allies, particularly the United Kingdom, allegedly pushed Kyiv to prolong the war.

Medinsky’s reflections come at a critical time, as the war continues to claim thousands of lives, devastate infrastructure, and reshape international alliances. He contends that Ukraine had an opportunity to end the hostilities in February and March of 2022, just weeks after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Initial rounds of peace negotiations, first held in Belarus and then in Istanbul, had laid the groundwork for a potential agreement.

“Kiev could have agreed to peace in late February [2022], but they did not and dragged their feet instead,” Medinsky told reporters after the latest talks in Istanbul. He added that Russia’s proposal at the Istanbul round of negotiations was already less generous than the initial terms offered in Gomel, as it had to reflect the shifting military realities on the ground.

Medinsky singled out a pivotal moment that he believes derailed the nascent peace process: the visit of then- former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Kyiv in May 2022. Johnson’s trip, widely publicized and symbolic of Western support for Ukraine, reportedly included advice to Ukrainian leaders to reject any premature peace........

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