Letters: How to stop the Ukraine war

A negotiated end

Sir: Owen Matthews’s piece hinted at the likely outcome of the Ukraine conflict, but his conclusion was too pessimistic (‘Spring loaded’, 4 February). It seems probable that the war in Ukraine will drag on without a decisive conclusion and that there will not only be disagreement among Nato members about supplying further arms, but that other governments will get tired of it. The only way to stop it will, therefore, be by negotiation. Given that the most successful negotiated settlements end with all sides being reasonably satisfied with the outcome, Russia, Ukraine, Nato and the EU will have to make compromises. Ukraine will have to agree to cede Crimea, and the Donbas too. This will be a tough sell for Zelensky, but one that would be made politically easier by Ukraine being accepted into the EU and Nato on an accelerated programme. 

The advantage to Ukraine is obvious. A treaty that defined the border between Ukraine and Russia would, at the very least, deter further Russian incursions, assuming that even Putin would not wish to take on Nato.