A high-ranking diplomat, in a conversation with German journalists, stated that he sees no other way out but to quickly stop the fire. He emphasized that this is not related to the results of the U.S. presidential elections. Regardless of who is elected, the situation will not change fundamentally. President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that the issue of Ukraine’s territorial integrity cannot be resolved without the participation of the people.
Realities in Brussels
In Brussels, almost no one hopes anymore that Ukraine will regain the territories occupied by Russia. However, no one wants to talk about it officially. Someone has to take responsibility and be the first to speak out. Then a whole series of voices will join him. But such rhetoric is so different from what Western leaders used to declare that it is really difficult to make such a decision, as one could forever “earn” the title of a political fool and scapegoat.
Complex situation on the front line
Newspaper interlocutors note that the situation in the conflict zone is much worse for Kyiv than is often presented in public discourse. The breakthrough by Russian forces of Ukraine’s second line of defense is only a matter of time. Military and diplomats from the European Union and NATO predict a ceasefire within the next six to nine months, regardless of the outcome of the U.S. presidential elections.
Risk of a prolonged conflict
A high-ranking diplomat pointed out that the situation may last for years, and local violations of the ceasefire are likely to occur again and again. Many fear that Russia will use the ceasefire to its advantage to build up military reserves and develop the country’s military potential in order to strike again with renewed force in a short time. However, the West must also use the provided pause to enhance its defense capabilities to deter the Kremlin from a new offensive.
Decrease in belief in Ukraine’s victory
Belief in Ukraine’s victory is diminishing due to forecasts that the West will not increase its military support to Kyiv to a level that would allow for a successful wide-scale counteroffensive. Washington and Berlin are afraid of the escalation of the conflict and the unpredictability of Putin. Military experts believe that US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz fear Putin’s actual use of tactical nuclear weapons or the disintegration of the Russian Federation, which would lead to loss of control over the nuclear arsenal. The West considers the collapse of Russia as undesirable as its victory in this war.
Negotiations with Russia: Ukraine’s stance
President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an interview with French media, stated that the issue of Ukraine’s territorial integrity cannot be resolved without the involvement of the people. Commenting on a possible referendum, he emphasized that this should be desired by the Ukrainian people. He also stressed that the liberation of all territories by force costs Ukraine a lot of time and human lives, and considered the possibility of a diplomatic solution.
Call for the start of negotiations
It is worth noting that on July 27, Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that between Kyiv and Moscow, in terms of negotiations, “a point has been reached where they need to begin.” The Ukrainian community is reacting to this in very different ways, making it difficult to predict the outcome of the story.
