Russian President, Vladimir Putin, recently suggested that the war in Ukraine could be nearing its end, but according to an analysis conducted by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), there are no real indications that Moscow intends to halt its military aggression, reports the Ukrainian press.
The statements were made on May 9, during a press conference that took place after the traditional military parade commemorating Victory Day, the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. The context was as follows: Putin was answering questions regarding the alleged involvement of Western countries in the recent long-range Ukrainian attacks in Russia.
“This matter is nearing its end,” he commented, a statement interpreted literally by the Russian press, namely as an announcement of an imminent end to the war.
The analysts from ISW emphasize that Putin’s statements do not actually indicate any change in position on the part of the Kremlin leader, and that this rhetoric quite clearly shows that Russia’s strategic objective of causing a decisive defeat to Ukraine remains unchanged.
On the contrary, in his speech, Putin reiterated the official justifications for the invasion of Ukraine and reaffirmed Russia’s military objectives.
An important detail highlighted by the analysts at ISW is the fact that Putin has declared that the Russian army did not parade with heavy military equipment because it needs to focus on the “final defeat of Ukraine”.
It is a signal that the Kremlin’s maximalist objectives remain the same – achieving Ukraine’s capitulation: at the same time, Putin shows no signs of readiness for bilateral meetings aimed at negotiations for a potential peace agreement.
And this is because Putin reiterated his previous condition that a possible meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could only potentially take place for the signing of a final agreement.
The Russian leader insisted that discussions should take place either in Moscow or in a third country, but exclusively in the context of finalizing a peace treaty.
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