The text was replete with contradictions, ambiguities and errors that betrayed a lack of legal or diplomatic expertise. Some parts suggested direct translation from Russian, while others drew on the recent Gaza peace plan, which addressed a fundamentally different conflict. Even its status – both a ‘memorandum’ and ‘legally binding’ – was unclear.
The terms heavily favoured Moscow. Russia would gain Ukrainian land (and, though unstated, people) beyond what it already occupied; regain full access to the global economy; and enjoy an amnesty for war crimes. European states, though not consulted, would be prevented from deploying forces in Ukraine; obliged to lift sanctions; and compelled to give America frozen Russian assets held in European financial systems. Ukraine would face restrictions on the size of its military and receive no credible security guarantees.
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