Ten principles of negotiations with Moscow: the experience of a Ukrainian diplomat

The Jamestown Foundation is an influential American think tank that specializes in analyzing security threats from Russia, China, and other authoritarian regimes. The Foundation provides analysis to the U.S. Congress, government agencies, intelligence and the expert community. Recently, it published an article by Ukrainian politician and diplomat Roman Bezsmertnyi on the principles of negotiations with Russia.

Ten Principles

Negotiate from a position of strength

Only strong pressure on Russia forces it to comply with international law, which is a prerequisite for progress in the negotiations. Refusal to provide military assistance to Ukraine or easing sanctions has the opposite effect – Moscow only intensifies attacks on civilians.

Be prepared

When interacting with the Kremlin, it is critical to know its position, terminology, intentions, and applicable international law.

Verify every statement in real time

The negotiation team should be in touch with the analytical team, which monitors the broadcast of the negotiations and checks every reference to legal norms or facts. Even if the quote is correct, it should be ensured that it fits the current legal context.

Do not change the composition of the team

Forming working groups or rotating delegation members creates loopholes for Moscow to exploit communication gaps.

All decisions are up to the leaders

The team should have clear boundaries of authority and not go beyond them. Under pressure and in the chaos of negotiations, the decision-making process can be destroyed.

Control the process

The skills of Russian diplomats should not be overestimated. Negotiate confidently, formulate an agenda, and have ready-made solutions for every controversial issue. Let them adapt to you. The same applies to psychological pressure – study the composition of the Russian delegation and use an individual approach.

Be flexible

Do not set strict internal deadlines and do not allow Russia to create artificial restrictions that cause additional psychological pressure and lead to wrong decisions. You should be prepared to withdraw from the negotiations if necessary .

Write down every word

Seriously. Write it down. Every single one. Word.

Don't let Moscow mask intentions with terms

Demand a clear definition of each term used by the Russian side in advance. They may offer different interpretations that the other side can use to its advantage.

Most importantly, determine the outcome of the negotiations before Moscow does

The information campaign (key messages for the press conference, draft statements, news updates during the negotiations) should be prepared in advance. Publish your position immediately. Do not let Moscow use the pause to determine the outcome on its own. Media coverage of the talks may be more important than the talks themselves. Communication shapes reality.

In addition to the above principles, it is important to understand how the Kremlin instrumentalizes language and discourse to distort and manipulate international norms and concepts. Moscow regularly creates its own interpretations of fundamental international acts and historical precedents.

This makes communication with Russian diplomats a disorienting experience. Despite the fact that the author is a native Russian speaker, it often felt like the parties were speaking different languages on different topics without an interpreter. Over time, even a sane person begins to lose his or her sense of reality, common sense and morality, finding himself or herself in a whirlwind of double standards and manipulations.

As a result of such tactics, the negotiation venue turns into an arena where the Russian side puts forward ultimatums and tries to interpret the international order according to its own legal system, which either does not exist in international law or directly contradicts it.

Roman Bezsmertnyi is a former Deputy Prime Minister and Ambassador who participated in almost 60 rounds of negotiations with Russia within the Minsk peace process.

Printed with abbreviations.

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