In the new episode of "Aristocracy", journalist Vitaly Portnikov analyzes the situation around the so-called "peace plan" to end the Russia-Ukraine war, which is actively discussed on the international stage. According to him, there is no real plan—just a set of ideas and proposals circulating among American and Russian officials.
Portnikov describes in detail how this mythical plan arose against the backdrop of US and Russian attempts to negotiate an end to the conflict. The key players are the US, with various political centers of influence (Trump, his entourage, the State Department, special envoys), Russia, the European Union, and Ukraine. Much of the plan is the personal improvisation of Russian representative Dmitriev, whom Putin used in an attempt to lift American sanctions on Russian energy companies.
The appearance of the so-called "peace plan" is essentially a political manipulation that, nevertheless, received wide coverage in global media and forced different parties to respond and search for a position. Portnikov emphasizes that Trump and his circle used this plan as an element of domestic political struggle and as a pretext to pressure Ukraine to concede to Russia.
Meetings, negotiations, and media document leaks are, in Portnikov’s view, just elements of political gamesmanship without a real intention to achieve peace. He stresses that the real path to peace begins not with documents, but with a genuine ceasefire on the front lines.
Portnikov also describes the degradation of political culture in the US, the role of amateurs in the Trump administration, the impact of demographic changes in the US and Europe, and prospects for political transformation in these countries. He predicts that peace and war issues will be resolved through increased sanctions and economic pressure on Russia, with no prospect of real compromise until the fighting stops.
The interview ends with reflections on Ukraine's future, changes in language and cultural policy, and forecasts for further political processes worldwide. Portnikov concludes: the significance of the "peace plan" is exaggerated, and the main thing remains the search for realistic ways to end the war.
