Ukraine Peace Plan Darkens The Mood Across A War-Torn Nation
Mass graves and bullet-scarred churches symbolize the torment of the past Russian occupation in the Kiev suburb of Bucha, where traumatized residents now face a new pain: a US-led peace offer that would offer post-war general amnesty. perpetrators of atrocities.
For the survivors BuchaThe proposed amnesty in the country where hundreds of Ukrainians were killed in 2022 is perceived as a source of disappointment rather than a compromise.
It’s a sentiment felt in other communities and reflects broader concerns across Ukraine about the consequences of acquitting Russia and its soldiers and officials of alleged crimes.
The town’s Church of the Apostle Andrew stands next to a church. mass grave It is the burial place of civilians, some shot dead in the street, others showing signs of torture.
Father Andriy Halavin, who still leads the congregation of the damaged church, said any amnesty would legitimize further violence as war continues.
“This is a green light,” he said after Sunday mass. “This means you can keep bombing, keep executing soldiers, with the certainty that nothing will happen.”
Mass killings were uncovered by Russian forces. withdrew from the region After unsuccessful attempts to capture Kiev full scale invasion In 2022.
Many perpetrators have been identified, Father Andriy said. He insisted that justice is not about revenge, but about proving that accountability still matters; especially at a time when Ukrainians are being asked to weigh painful trade-offs for peace.
Recommended 28 points peace agreement He followed the secret meetings held by the envoys of Russia and the US President Donald Trump.
Ukraine will relinquish territory beyond that currently controlled by Moscow, reduce its military and renounce NATO membership. In return, Kyiv will receive international security guarantees and reconstruction aid.
At the military cemetery of Bucha, 66-year-old Vira Katanenko visited the grave of her son Andrii, who was killed in the war in the Donetsk region last year. The peace plan and proposed amnesty are unthinkable for him.
“I can’t accept this,” he said. “Do they want amnesty for all war crimes, including Bucha? This is terrible. Let them come, let Trump come. Let him and his family come, let him see our pain, maybe then they will change their minds.”
European leaders They insist that peace talks include Ukraine and preserve its sovereignty.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the plan represented one of the most difficult moments of the war and vowed to work with Washington but seek change.
A short drive from Bucha, mourners gathered for the funeral of Ruslan Zhyhunov, a 41-year-old machine gunner killed in eastern Ukraine.
Uncertainty regarding the peace plan has worsened between relatives and neighbors Watching the funeral in the rain, they said, was another reminder of how fragile the promised future now feels.
“How can you exchange your ancestral lands for anything? For what?” asked Andrii Honcharuk, a 71-year-old retired regional defense volunteer who attended the ceremony wearing a uniform. “The war will not end anytime soon. We will continue to die for a long time.”
Bucha and Oleksii Yeroshenko in Hostomel, Ukraine contributed to this report.
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