According to two former high-ranking Russian officials close to the Kremlin, as well as American and international officials, Putin wants to freeze hostilities along the approximately 1,000 kilometer long front line.
That’s what the American newspaper writes The New York Times.
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According to the newspaper’s sources, American officials claim that Putin had already made several attempts to negotiate a cease-fire a year earlier, i.e. in the autumn of 2022. Now he is making another attempt.
Zelenskyj fears Russia will take advantage of the ceasefire
The Russian president is said to have been sending signals via intermediaries since September this year that he is ready to agree to a truce in the very bloody war of aggression, which has probably cost hundreds of thousands of lives.
The conditions for the arms to stop are that both parties must accept that the conflict is frozen indefinitely.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned several times against entering into negotiations with Russia on the premise of freezing the conflict. Ukraine fears that Russia will only use the time to regroup and reinforce its troops with a view to new attacks.
Could be a deceptive attempt by the Kremlin
However, US officials suggest that the signals from Putin may be a deceptive attempt by the Kremlin and that it does not reflect Putin’s honest willingness to compromise and make peace, refer Ukrainska Pravda.
The background for Putin’s possible wish for a ceasefire is said to be the deadlocked situation on the battlefield in the wake of Ukraine’s failed offensive. This combined with weaker support from the West, and how the war in the Middle East has partially turned the focus away from Ukraine, also plays a role. In addition, Russian forces have suffered staggering losses of soldiers and weapons.
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– Then Putin can win the war
Former Russian officials also warn that Putin could quickly change his mind should Russia’s military fortunes change.
– He is willing to stop at the current positions, but he is not willing to retreat a meter.
The EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, warns that the entire existence of the European Union is at stake in Ukraine, and that European democracy is under threat.
– Putin has decided to continue the war until the final victory. Russia’s success depends on bringing as many soldiers as they can to the battlefield. If we don’t change course quickly, if we don’t mobilize all our capabilities, it could lead to Putin winning the war, says Borrell to The Guardian.
– We must prepare for a conflict of high intensity for a long time
At the same time, he believes that Putin has miscalculated the strength of Russia’s army, the strength of the Ukrainian resistance and the Western world’s reaction to the attack.
– Putin expects that the US presidential election will create a more favorable scenario for him. Therefore, we must prepare for a conflict of high intensity for a long time, warns the EU’s head of foreign affairs, Joseph Borrell.
2023-12-24 12:12:16
#Warning #deceptive #attempt #Kremlin
