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It's worth noting that there was an apparent real opportunity to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict in April 2022, via diplomatic negotiations, but UK's Boris

It's worth noting that there was an apparent real opportunity to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict in April 2022, via diplomatic negotiations, but UK's Boris Johnson reportedly disrupted those talks by threatening to withdraw UK/US support for Zelensky if he proceeded with negotiations. If the war had been resolved and sanctions on Russian export of gas to Europe had been lifted, this would have lowered gas prices across the entire region, including for Britain. These energy costs are the main driving factor behind the skyrocketing inflation in the UK: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/uk-energy-costs-inflation-1.6562955 https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/uk-energy-costs-inflation-1.65... However, the steep rise in the value of oil & gas stocks, as well as defense contractor stocks, has no doubt enriched a certain strata of British society, much as it has done in the USA. War is quite profitable if you position yourself correctly... https://www.investopedia.com/top-defense-stocks-5079150 https://www.investopedia.com/top-defense-stocks-5079150 > "Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine beginning in February sparked a rally in selected large defense stocks, including Lockheed Martin Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp., and Raytheon Technologies Corp." https://www.investopedia.com/investing/oil-stocks/ https://www.investopedia.com/investing/oil-stocks/ > "Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February has significantly disrupted the global oil market. European Union leaders moved to ban most Russian crude oil imports in May a oil prices spiked in March. The Biden administration has released record volumes of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve...The oil and gas industry is best represented by the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE). The exchange-traded fund produced a total return of 59.8% over the past year, dramatically outperforming the Russell 1000’s -12.9% total return."

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hesk 4y ago
> It's worth noting that there was an apparent real opportunity to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict in April 2022, via diplomatic negotiations, but UK's Boris Johnson reportedly disrupted those talks by threatening to withdraw UK/US support for Zelensky if he proceeded with negotiations. Do you have a source for this claim? I heard this argument before from an acquaintance and it completely contradicts my reading of the situation in April.
- nivenkos 4y ago
  https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/09/02/diplomacy-watch-why-did-the-west-stop-a-peace-deal-in-ukraine/ https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/09/02/diplomacy-watch...
  - Workaccount2 4y ago
    Generally blogs are terrible sources for political information.
- jlmorton 4y ago
  There's no reporting on this in the Western press, and GP has overstated the reporting that exists [1]. In Ukraine's Pravda, which is not the same as the former Soviet Pravda, it was reported that in April -- after Bucha, and everything else -- Johnson warned Zelensky that Putin could not be negotiated with. [1] https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/05/5/7344206/ https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/05/5/7344206/
- throw310822 4y ago
  A quick googling brings up this: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/09/02/diplomacy-watch-why-did-the-west-stop-a-peace-deal-in-ukraine/ https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/09/02/diplomacy-watch... Apparently reported on in an article on Foreign Affairs: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russian-federation/world-putin-wants-fiona-hill-angela-stent https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russian-federation/world-puti...
pjc50 4y ago
> UK's Boris Johnson reportedly disrupted those talks by threatening to withdraw UK/US support for Zelensky if he proceeded with negotiations I would like some evidence for this, especially the idea that Johnson could dictate US foreign policy.
- mobiuscog 4y ago
  Exactly. Boris has much he can legitimately be blamed for, but he rarely speaks on behalf of the US (as much as I'm sure he'd like to).
Workaccount2 4y ago
Even if your claim is true, it still would have been the smarter long term move to keep the war going. The prospect of a western aligned russian regime is so valuable it's worth fighting (and funding) the war for.
- pbak 4y ago
  Well, yes, if you are blind to the problem of said war definitively and massively causing the Russia people to be irretrievably unaligned against the West for generations. But, seems a lot of western leadership is blind.
  - Workaccount2 4y ago
    When the curtain falls we'll see how desperate they are to cut off their nose to spite their face. The gains for joining the west would be enormous, while the alternative is staying a destitute 2nd world country. I don't believe russians are that stupid.
fmajid 4y ago
Zelensky tried to negotiate with Putin when he came to power, but quickly understood Putin was not interested in peace, only the complete subjugation of Ukraine, and stopped talking. It had nothing to do with Boris Johnson.

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hesk 4y ago

> It's worth noting that there was an apparent real opportunity to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict in April 2022, via diplomatic negotiations, but UK's Boris Johnson reportedly disrupted those talks by threatening to withdraw UK/US support for Zelensky if he proceeded with negotiations. Do you have a source for this claim? I heard this argument before from an acquaintance and it completely contradicts my reading of the situation in April.

nivenkos 4y ago
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/09/02/diplomacy-watch-why-did-the-west-stop-a-peace-deal-in-ukraine/ https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/09/02/diplomacy-watch...
- Workaccount2 4y ago
  Generally blogs are terrible sources for political information.
jlmorton 4y ago
There's no reporting on this in the Western press, and GP has overstated the reporting that exists [1]. In Ukraine's Pravda, which is not the same as the former Soviet Pravda, it was reported that in April -- after Bucha, and everything else -- Johnson warned Zelensky that Putin could not be negotiated with. [1] https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/05/5/7344206/ https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/05/5/7344206/
throw310822 4y ago
A quick googling brings up this: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/09/02/diplomacy-watch-why-did-the-west-stop-a-peace-deal-in-ukraine/ https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/09/02/diplomacy-watch... Apparently reported on in an article on Foreign Affairs: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russian-federation/world-putin-wants-fiona-hill-angela-stent https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russian-federation/world-puti...

pjc50 4y ago

> UK's Boris Johnson reportedly disrupted those talks by threatening to withdraw UK/US support for Zelensky if he proceeded with negotiations I would like some evidence for this, especially the idea that Johnson could dictate US foreign policy.

mobiuscog 4y ago
Exactly. Boris has much he can legitimately be blamed for, but he rarely speaks on behalf of the US (as much as I'm sure he'd like to).

Workaccount2 4y ago

Even if your claim is true, it still would have been the smarter long term move to keep the war going. The prospect of a western aligned russian regime is so valuable it's worth fighting (and funding) the war for.

pbak 4y ago
Well, yes, if you are blind to the problem of said war definitively and massively causing the Russia people to be irretrievably unaligned against the West for generations. But, seems a lot of western leadership is blind.
- Workaccount2 4y ago
  When the curtain falls we'll see how desperate they are to cut off their nose to spite their face. The gains for joining the west would be enormous, while the alternative is staying a destitute 2nd world country. I don't believe russians are that stupid.

fmajid 4y ago

Zelensky tried to negotiate with Putin when he came to power, but quickly understood Putin was not interested in peace, only the complete subjugation of Ukraine, and stopped talking. It had nothing to do with Boris Johnson.