Ukrainians in Luxembourg say peace deal cannot reward aggressor

Nicolas Zharov, Chairman of the LUkraine association, which represents many Ukrainians in Luxembourg, remains sceptical about the chances of a meeting between Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as proposed by US president Donald Trump.

“Hungary, Switzerland and Turkey have agreed to organise the meeting. There is no shortage of places where it could take place. But will this meeting achieve anything? That remains an open question,” Zharov told the Luxemburger Wort. “Putin does not want to end the war, as he has not kept any agreements so far.”

Zharov is adamant that a meeting should not take place in Moscow, saying that would be tantamount to a symbolic capitulation by Ukraine.

Nicolas Zharov, Chairman of LUkraine, was appalled that Putin was received with great honour in the US © Photo credit: Laurent Blum/LW-Archiv

According to Zharov, Putin is trying to buy time in which no further sanctions are imposed on Russia. “A solution must be found for a just and lasting peace. This is a very difficult task because you can’t reward the aggressor. That would only be a pause that would allow Russia to restore and reunite its armed forces,” he said, adding that there is no question of Ukraine giving up part of its territory.

Will the war end with the status quo?

Julien Doussot, Chairman of the Slava Ukrayini association, believes that the bilateral talks between Trump and Zelenskiy can only be effective if they are accompanied by international pressure – including from the US and Europe – on Russia. He believes that tougher economic sanctions should be imposed on Russia.

Julien Doussot has helped Ukrainian families to return to their home country © Photo credit: Marlene Brey/ LW-Archiv

Doussot’s family by marriage lives in Ukraine. The mentality of the people there has changed recently, he said. “More and more Ukrainians are resigned to the fact that there is no way that part of the country can be recaptured with weapons. They know that they cannot end the war in Donbass and that Crimea is a complicated issue.”

Doussot suspects that the war could lead to some form of status quo, like that between North and South Korea.

“In the event of a ceasefire, there will be an economic boom in Ukraine. This would lead to a distortion compared to Russia, which would not [enjoy a boom], especially in the Donbass and other regions that the population groups living there would want to join Ukraine in the long term,” said Doussot.

At the beginning of the war, Slava Ukrayini took care of around 40 Ukrainian families who had fled to Luxembourg. In the meantime, only two families have decided to settle in Luxembourg permanently. The others have either returned to Ukraine or have found accommodation in Germany, France or the Netherlands.

For Zharov and Doussot, Putin’s red carpet reception in Alaska was a disgrace and a scandal. In contrast, they see Zelenskiy’s trip to the White House accompanied by top European politicians as a positive signal, even if, according to Doussot, the meeting with President Trump and his team did not achieve much.

(This article was first published by Luxemburger Wort. Translated using AI with editing by Duncan Roberts)