University of Indonesia professor of international law Hikmahanto Juwana believes the resignation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could stop Russia's attacks. Russian President Vladimir Putin thinks Zelensky is not siding with Russia but is very much in favor of Western Europe and the US.
"Russia's attacks on Ukraine will stop when Russia succeeds in removing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Russia's initial objective in attacking Ukraine was to implement a defense pact with the two republics that separated from Ukraine after the two republics were recognized by Russia on February 22," said Hikmahanto Juwana in a statement. information received in Jakarta, Sunday, February 27, 2022.
According to him, Russia has now attacked the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, with the main target of President Zalensky turning himself in or being arrested. He said this mode was similar to that used by the United States in its efforts to oust Saddam Hussein as President of Iraq.
"The president is a concrete manifestation of a country. The president is also the highest policy-making official in a country," said Hikmahanto.
For Russia, President Zelensky is considered very disinterested in Russia and in fact very siding with Western European countries and the US. The Russian offensive could also be stopped by President Putin through negotiations that are currently being pursued.
"It is very likely that the demands from Russia in the negotiations are the resignation of President Zelensky and his replacement with a figure that Russia can accept," he said.
However, Hikmahanto said, the war could continue and escalate greatly if NATO took the decision to involve itself and assist Ukraine in striking back against Russia.
"If this happens, then World War III can certainly be on the threshold considering that Putin in his statement did not hesitate to use nuclear weapons at his disposal," he said.
This situation, he continued, is a big possibility for NATO not to help President Zelenskiy face a Russian attack.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that Moscow was ready for talks if the Ukrainian military surrendered. The Kremlin insisted that the invading forces wanted to liberate the country from oppression.
Russian President Vladimir Putin took the decision to carry out special military operations to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine so that it is freed from oppression.
"Ukraine itself can freely determine their future," Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow.
The statement shows that Moscow intends to overthrow the Ukrainian government with its invasion. Lavrov said Moscow was ready for talks with Kyiv if the Ukrainian army surrendered.
"We are ready for negotiations at any time, as soon as the Ukrainian armed forces respond to our calls and lay down their arms," Lavrov said.
He said the goals of Putin's military operations in Ukraine were communicated openly, namely demilitarization and de-Nazification.
"No one intends to occupy Ukraine," Lavrov insisted, refuting Ukrainian claims that Russian troops had attacked civilian infrastructure, despite evidence of extensive damaged residential areas.
