Ukraine could give up territory to secure peace with Russia as Putin may be convinced to return land

Ukraine could give up territory to secure peace with Russia as Putin may be convinced to return land in return for easing sanctions, Bishop of Leeds suggests

  • Rt Rev Nick Baines wrote that the overall objective of allies ‘remains unclear’
  • In response to the comments, the Church of England said this was not its ‘view’
  • It previously courted controversy when Welby called UK’s asylum plan ‘ungodly’

Ukraine could give up territory to secure peace with Russia, a senior cleric has suggested. 

Rt Rev Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, made the claims in a paper published yesterday, writing that the overall objective of western allies ‘remains unclear’ and Vladimir Putin may be convinced to return land in return for easing sanctions

He added: ‘Is the aim to punish Russia or to change Russia’s behaviour or even its regime?

‘The lack of clarity creates ambiguity, invites mission creep and risks strategic miscalculation.’

Rt Rev Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, made the claims in a paper published yesterday

He also warned that ‘imposing punitive measures which affect all Russians, whatever their view, risks provoking resentment and fuelling nationalism.’

In response, the Church of England said that this was not its ‘view’ and ‘the territorial integrity of Ukraine is without question’.

A spokesman told the Telegraph: ‘This is not policy. This is a discussion paper for Synod that notes potential long-term scenarios highlighted in some quarters regarding Ukraine.

‘The territorial integrity of Ukraine is without question. As the paper says clearly, the long-term goal should be that Ukraine controls all its territory.’ 

The Church of England previously courted controversy when the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby called the UK’s asylum plan to send migrants to Rwanda ‘ungodly’ in his Easter sermon.

The Church of England previously courted controversy when the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby called the UK’s asylum plan to send migrants to Rwanda ‘ungodly’ in his Easter sermon

The Church of England previously courted controversy when the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby called the UK’s asylum plan to send migrants to Rwanda ‘ungodly’ in his Easter sermon

It comes as Boris Johnson warned Nato allies it would be a ‘disaster’ to pressure Ukraine into accepting a ‘bad peace’ deal that would see swathes of territory surrendered to Putin.

The Prime Minister said there is little hope of sending the Navy to rescue grain from the Russian president’s blockade as he set sights on talks with Turkey to prevent famine being a consequence of the invasion.

There are concerns in Kyiv that Germany and France will push President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a ceasefire deal that would see him concede land to Moscow.

Boris Johnson warned Nato allies it would be a 'disaster' to pressure Ukraine into accepting a 'bad peace' deal that would see swathes of territory surrendered to Putin

Boris Johnson warned Nato allies it would be a ‘disaster’ to pressure Ukraine into accepting a ‘bad peace’ deal that would see swathes of territory surrendered to Putin

There are concerns in Kyiv that Germany and France will push President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a ceasefire deal that would see him concede land to Moscow

There are concerns in Kyiv that Germany and France will push President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a ceasefire deal that would see him concede land to Moscow

Mr Johnson, who is at a summit of Commonwealth leaders in Rwanda before talks with G7 and Nato allies in Europe in the coming days, warned there is ‘no question there is a lot of Ukraine fatigue now in the world’.

‘But I think they are going to win. I know they are going to win. It is their country. They are fighting for it desperately hard,’ he told reporters travelling with him in Kigali.

‘But they need to be properly supported. So, my message to colleagues at the G7 and at Nato in particular is going to be now is not the time to settle and encourage the Ukrainians to settle for a bad peace, for a peace by which they are invited to give up chunks of their territory in return for a ceasefire.

‘I think that would be a disaster. It would be a trigger for further escalation by Putin whenever he wanted. That would do much further economic damage to the world.’

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk