Putin unwilling to end war but preparing for it, diplomat says
Photo: Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want to end the war against Ukraine, but the conflict could conclude if Russia suffers significant defeats, stated Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Andrii Veselovskyi, advisor to the director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies, in a commentary to the RBC-Ukraine YouTube channel.
According to Veselovskyi, Russia has "effective diplomacy and strategic thinking," and Moscow has already prepared a plan for ending the war.
"They’ve already written it, and Zakharova (Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson - ed.) has a scenario ready for explaining everything. This is not a problem. And it will appear when there are serious defeats of Russian troops at the front," he added.
Veselovskyi emphasized that Ukrainian drones and still-imperfect missiles are causing serious damage to Russia. The Russian population is already noticing this.
"Recently, I came across a phrase that I liked: Putin does not want the war to end, but he is preparing for it. I believe in this phrase. There are signs, but more is needed from us," the diplomat noted.
The end of the war
Amid Donald Trump’s victory in the US elections, rumors about potential negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are growing.
For instance, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has not ruled out that such talks could begin as early as this winter.
Meanwhile, the head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, acknowledged that Ukraine's current position is not yet strong enough for negotiations with Russia.
