Ukraine's Presidential Office on long war and territorial concessions: It makes no sense
Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Statements on a supposed long war in Ukraine and possible territorial concessions lack logic. While such discussions were understandable at the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion, they are no longer relevant, says Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the President's Office, to the RBC-Ukraine YouTube channel.
“By the way, some of our partners speak about the war potentially being prolonged. But why are you doing this? I always have a question. Look, we understand Russia's resource capabilities and its industrial capabilities, and we see that Russia is currently in a resource deficit, just like Ukraine. That’s why they are relying on the resource capabilities of Iran and North Korea,” Podolyak said.
He stresses that Russia is undergoing severe social challenges, particularly in its economy, making discussions about a long war inappropriate. He identified three critical factors for ending the conflict.
Firstly, Podolyak pointed to political decisions, including those concerning NATO. Secondly, he mentioned economic decisions regarding sanctions and the use of frozen Russian assets. Thirdly, a key one is the need to increase strikes on Russian territory. Substantial investments in military production and equipment supply are necessary for this.
“It’s so obvious that there’s no need to talk about 'decade,' 'the year 2026,' or 'territorial concessions.' This all seems strange to me. Why? Because at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I could understand that. Today, it makes no sense at all. They are simply stating theses that cannot be logically explained,” he added.
Podolyak pointed out that if Russia were to achieve victory, it would gain “dividends” in the form of partially occupied territory, but this is unlikely to halt its ambitions.
“Can it say, 'That’s it, I won’t go further because I haven't realized my objectives, I don’t dominate'? On the contrary: 'I am diminished in my reputation, and I won’t terrorize Ukraine any longer'? This is nonsense. And Europe, especially Eastern Europe. 'I (Russia - ed.) will no longer invest in terrorist activities, in ultra-political actions on the territory'? What is the logic behind such proposals (territorial concessions - ed.)? And let's (the West - ed.) store weapons in warehouses; we see that our weapons are much more effective. If we increase supplies to Ukraine by 30% or 40%, it will greatly increase damage to Russian equipment, manpower, and infrastructure. No, we will leave this in warehouses for ourselves to use later. What’s the logic here?” Podolyak questioned.
'Peace initiatives' for Ukraine
At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine engaged in several rounds of negotiations with Russia. These efforts yielded no results, as Russia demanded de facto capitulation. Ukraine has indicated that it may return to the negotiating table under stronger conditions. Currently, Ukraine has presented its peace formula for a diplomatic resolution to the war and is preparing for a second peace summit for its implementation.
Nevertheless, some countries are proposing their own “peace plans” for Ukraine. Brazil and China are pushing their initiative, which Ukraine has criticized.
