Ukraine removes Kissinger from ‘kill list’

The veteran US diplomat, who died on Wednesday, had been added to the ‘Peacemaker’ database for allegedly spreading anti-Kiev narratives

Ukraine’s ‘Peacemaker’ database, which features supposed enemies of the state, has marked US veteran diplomat Henry Kissinger as ‘deceased.’ The former US secretary of state, who passed away on Wednesday, was added to the list in May 2022 for his alleged participation in “Russia’s information special operation against Ukraine.” 

The online resource, created back in 2014, describes itself as a “non-government Center for Research of Elements of Crimes against the National Security of Ukraine, Peace, Humanity, and International Law.” Over the years, it has been implicated in multiple scandals, including the publishing of personal data of foreign journalists and other individuals deemed by ‘Peacemaker’ as enemies. 

According to the website, Kissinger had spread “propaganda” and also advocated the separation of Donetsk and Lugansk, as well as several southern regions, from Ukraine. The former US national security adviser was designated by ‘Peacemaker’ as an “accomplice to the Russian authorities’ crimes against Ukraine and its people.” 

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Kissinger served as US secretary of state from 1973 to 1977 under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and played a crucial role in improving US relations with the Soviet Union. The diplomat also spearheaded the normalization of ties with China, something he was revered for in Beijing for the rest of his life. 

After leaving office, Kissinger remained active, giving lectures and commenting on international affairs. He also traveled to China and was received by the country’s leaders dozens of times. 

Regarding the Ukraine conflict, the former secretary of state characterized the West’s decision to offer Kiev a pathway to NATO as “a grave mistake,” which triggered the current hostilities. 

Last year, he suggested that Ukraine could relinquish its territorial claims to Crimea and grant autonomy to the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics – all considered Russian regions by Moscow – in a bid to end the bloodshed. 

The Ukrainian leadership, for its part, has repeatedly rejected any territorial concessions to its neighbor, insisting on the full restoration of its sovereignty over all territories within its 1991 borders.