Intricacies and Challenges of Building a Peace Process for Ukraine

What does it take to negotiate peace when your opponent uses diplomacy as a tool for delay and manipulation? What lessons can we draw from the Minsk process to design a more durable peace in the future?

In this episode of Lawyering Peace, Ukrainian lawyer and mediator Yuna Potomkina joins Dr. Paul R. Williams to reflect on the  shortcomings of past negotiations and the essential principles for shaping future peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

Drawing from her experience as Adviser to the First Deputy Head of Ukraine’s negotiation delegation at the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk (2020–2022), Potomkina explains why peace agreements without enforceable guarantees fall short—and why justice cannot be sidelined.

She unpacks the risks of rushed or externally driven negotiations, and makes a compelling case for Ukrainian-led, legally sound, and strategically aligned peace efforts.

The conversation highlights how mediators must navigate asymmetry, protect Ukraine’s red lines, and ensure accountability is non-negotiable.