West needs to prepare for diplomacy to end war in Ukraine: Former German diplomat

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Western countries should start examining diplomatic options for finding an end to the Ukraine war, according to Wolfgang Ischinger, a prominent German pundit and former ambassador.

Ischinger, who chaired the Munich Security Conference from 2008 to 2022, spoke to Anadolu about his recent proposal to set up a “political-strategic contact group” among countries that could help reach a diplomatic solution.

“Sending more arms to Ukraine is a necessary precondition for finding an end to this war, but it is certainly not the only condition,” he said, stressing that the West also needs to think about how to make peace, develop common positions, and be prepared for various negotiating scenarios.

“We need to help Ukraine successfully liberate the occupied territories, but we also need within the West to prepare ourselves for all the issues that could come up in a possible negotiating scenario later on,” he said.

Ischinger, who held senior positions in the German Foreign Ministry, said that by setting up a political-strategic contact group, Western countries and Ukraine can examine all diplomatic options, develop negotiation strategies, and prepare draft texts.

He said there are many questions which should be discussed now among Western countries in order to be well prepared before an opportunity to negotiate arises.

“For example, who would monitor a peace or a cease-fire arrangement? Are we going to go back to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) or are we going to the United Nations? Or what other options are there? What about security guarantees for Ukraine?” Ischinger asked.

“Between Turkey and America and the European Union, do we have a common view? How do we wish to guarantee a future stable peace in Central Europe between Russia and its Western neighbors?

“So there are a significant number of issues which I believe we the West, with Turkey, with the United States, with Canada and others, and other partners, we should prepare ourselves for the day that will come at some point when the fighting will end, and the question will arise, how can we make, how can we contribute to a stable peace.”

- Preparatory diplomatic process

Ischinger pointed out that while Western countries and their partners regularly meet in the “Ramstein format” to coordinate their military support to Ukraine, there is no such platform to discuss a possible future peace process and key questions that would come up during negotiations.

“I think we should also have a ‘foreign policy Ramstein group’ that will examine the strategic political arms control, confidence-building options that may or may not be on our table at some point in the future,” he said.

Ischinger said setting up such a contact group with the participation of senior diplomats is also important to discuss diplomatic options and develop common positions among Western countries.

“I think we're not well prepared for these possible options. And we should be able to come and help Ukraine. Make decisions not with a Turkish view or American view or German view, but with one view. And that is what we should now discuss,” he stressed.

The seasoned ex-diplomat underlined that this political-strategic contact group can help Ukraine come up with the best possible solutions from the negotiations.

- ‘Negotiating with Russia is possible’

Ischinger warned that it would be a mistake not to begin diplomatic work due to the widespread assumption that under current conditions negotiating with Russia is impossible.

“I don't share the view that it is categorically impossible to negotiate with Russia,” he said, underlining that there are various diplomatic options.

“I think there is a problem of Russian credibility. (Many are asking) can we trust Russian signatures, Russian promises? But you know, in international diplomacy, we have the principle: If you can't trust then try to verify,” Ischinger said.

“We know from arms control arrangements that we have verification options. So I think that it is possible to negotiate with Russia even if we cannot fully trust President (Vladimir) Putin and his team. But in that case, we should make sure that we can verify the implementation of such an agreement.”

- Türkiye’s efforts successful

Ischinger said Türkiye’s efforts last year to bring Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table to secure a deal for Ukrainian grain exports were very important.

“The arrangement which led to the grain deal was a successful one. There was a role for the UN secretary-general, the UN team, there was a Turkish role,” he said.

Last July, Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed a deal in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports which were paused after the war began in February 2022.

The agreement – widely hailed as averting a world food crisis – last month was extended for a second time for 120 days, just before it was due to expire.

“I see no reason why that cannot be also a useful contribution for an eventual larger negotiation. Whether others should be included in such an arrangement, it is maybe too early to say, but I think that Turkey has already demonstrated the ability to play a role,” Ischinger said.