The second President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma gave a long interview to Hirofumi Sugizaki, a columnist for the largest news agency in Japan, Kyodo-tsushin. ICTV facts collected the main points — further in the material.
Which led to the start of a full-scale invasion
According to Leonid Kuchma, the main factor that led to the full-scale invasion — this is Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. However, there are a number of components to this factor.
— This is Putin's obsession with history — when he believes that the past (and a falsified one at that) has the right to determine the future. This is a manic mission of revenge taken on by Putin — when he believes that fate has chosen him to replay geopolitical events that occurred a third of a century ago, — explained Leonid Kuchma.
According to him, it is an incredible overestimation of Putin’s own capabilities when, after 20 years of listening to flattering praises, he eventually imagined himself to be a political genius and an outstanding military strategist.
Now watching
Could the attack have been prevented
Leonid Kuchma suggested that it would have been possible to prevent the attack if Russia had initially seen Ukraine not as easy prey, but as a serious force capable of resistance.
— We had to respond from the first minute of Russian aggression back in 2014. If I had been president then, I would have given the order to destroy those “little green men” without identification marks (and therefore — unknown terrorists) who captured the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea. Moreover, Putin then said: “ours are not there”, — he said.
However, Leonid Kuchma noted that if he had been the president of Ukraine later, then he would have invested every effort in the development and production of the latest weapons systems.
— In all the years since the start of Russian aggression in 2014, I have called for maximum attention to be paid to strike missiles. I devoted half my life to rocket and space technologies and I know well that our specialists were ready to produce them, — Kuchma emphasized.
He also added that he would do everything for Ukraine to become a member of NATO. After all, it was during his presidency in 2002 that the state first set such a strategic goal for Ukraine.
What could be other ways of developing relations between Ukraine and Russia
— As for other ways to develop relations between the two countries — Of course, there are always options. But the problem is that the Russian option did not suit us, and our option did not suit Russia, — Leonid Kuchma believes.
According to him, Ukraine has always wanted equal and friendly relations with Russia, despite the fact that now it sounds like absurdity.
— I don’t know if you have noticed the peculiarity of Russia: it has no friends, it divides everyone into enemies and vassals. Our version of building relations would not suit Russia. She doesn't know how to make friends and doesn't want to. But it was not possible to impose on us the status of a vassal of Russia, — he states.
Putin’s Appeasement Policy
Leonid Kuchma recalled the events of 1938 and the policy of appeasement of the leader of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler.
— When they appeased Hitler — it swallowed Czechoslovakia, and then gobbled up Poland, Denmark, Norway, Benelux, France, and began bombing Britain. Such was the nature of Hitler — he did not stop until he was stopped with a weapon, but with catastrophic loss of life. The same nature of Putin, — he is convinced.
Kuchma gave advice to the West: not to become Chamberlain, because you can think 100 times before choosing shame.
Western countries: why the thesis about war fatigue is wrong
— I cannot agree with the thesis that the West is tired. Of course, regarding Western assistance to Ukraine, not everything is so simple here. Trumpists in America — this is not the whole West.
However, increased aid from Europe — This is a fact, Leonid Kuchma noted. Another thing is that it is not enough, but it is constantly growing, he emphasized.
Negotiations with the Russian Federation
— No, I would not be ready to lead our delegation at such negotiations. Ukrainian law excludes the possibility of negotiations with the current Russian government. Even if there were no ban, these negotiations are still impossible, because there is no subject. What to negotiate? Ukraine has a peace plan by President Zelensky of 10 specific points, — said Kuchma.
He calls to see what Russia has in return after a full-scale invasion.
— Her “negotiating position” this: they should have not only everything that they captured, but also the Ukrainian lands, into which our soldiers did not allow their boots, but the Russians still brazenly included them in their Constitution. Next: we must fulfill all their insane demands with which they started this war, — Kuchma emphasized.
He explained that Russia demands that Ukraine recognize the renunciation of its own authenticity and the right to choose its own path, as well as the legality on its part of starting an aggressive war and occupying lands.
— This can be called negotiations? It would be capitulation. And not only ours, but the entire free world, the established global order. This would mean an invitation to further aggression by Russia itself and its accomplices from the authoritarian camp, which is already called the axis of evil, — Kuchma is convinced.
In his opinion, Russia would not want to see him at the negotiating table. Leonid Kuchma noted that during the negotiations, the Russians considered him an extremely inconvenient negotiator, and therefore even undesirable.
