Cabinet Secretary: Prabowo's Peace Proposal For Russia-Ukraine Must Have Good Intention

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto/DOK VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - Cabinet Secretary (Seskab) Pramono Anung said the peace proposal for conflict resolution between Russia and Ukraine submitted by Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto came from good intentions.

"What the Minister of Defense said in the official forum, which then received a response, both from Ukraine and Russia, must of course be seen from a positive perspective. I am sure that Pak Prabowo conveyed that it must be with good intentions," said Pramono at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Jakarta, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, June 7.

However, Pramono said, the derivative of the policy that the current government holds is still the policy taken by the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) when the President made a direct visit to Ukraine and Russia to meet the leaders of the two countries.

"Because of the derivative of the policy that has been taken by the President, I happened to accompany the President when he went to Ukraine or to Russia, that was the guide," said Pramono.

Regarding the Defense Minister's proposal that the Ukrainian and Russian governments had responded to, then drew polemics in the public sphere, Pramono said that President Jokowi would summon Prabowo to discuss this. "Because this has become a polemic in the public sphere, the President has said he will call and discuss with Pak Prabowo about it," said Pramono.

Pramono did not disclose regarding President Jokowi's attitude towards the substance in Prabowo's proposal.

"Yes, later between the President and Pak Prabowo, but I am sure that our ministers in the proposal for such a proposal must have good intentions," said Pramono.

President Jokowi on Wednesday morning, shortly before leaving for Singapore for a working visit, admitted that he had not met Prabowo in person to discuss Prabowo's statement regarding the peace proposal for Ukraine and Russia.

Previously, Prabowo attended the IISS Shang-ri La Dialogue 2023 in Singapore on Saturday (3/6). Prabowos had submitted a number of proposals for a peaceful resolution to the conflict that occurred following the Russian invasion of Ukraine since February 2022.

According to the Defense Minister, at least four proposals, namely a ceasefire at points of conflict, a 15-kilometer withdrawal of troops from both parties to create a demilitarized zone, the termination of the United Nations peacekeeping force (UN), and the implementation of a referendum by the United Nations in areas that Prabowo calls a "dispute area".

"PBB needs to regulate and implement referendums in disputed areas to ensure objectively the wishes of the majority of the population in these disputed areas," Prabowo said on Saturday (3/6).

The proposal drew mixed responses, including an official statement from Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko, who confirmed that his party rejected Prabowo's proposal.

Nikolenko appreciated the effort to restore peace to Russia. However, he called the proposal "as drawing conclusions from its own history".

"Russia must withdraw from Ukrainian territory, and Ukraine has the right to restore the integrity of its territory in accordance with internationally recognized borders. There is no alternative scenario," said Nikolenko.