Zelensky puts talks with Russia back on table in surprise move
Vladimir Zelensky whose term as President of Ukraine has already expired, has made some rather surprising statements in a recent interview, notably moving away from some of his previous positions. First, he did not rule out direct talks with Russia, even though he signed a decree two years ago which bans such negotiations. Second, he said that the hot phase of the armed conflict would end before the end of the year, while Ukraine would not be able to retake by force all the territories it considers its own.
There are several reasons behind this change of rhetoric, the main one being that the situation on the frontline is not getting any better for the Ukrainian armed forces. Conversely, the country’s social and economic situation continues to deteriorate as the mobilization campaign trudges on and power outages become more widespread. The changing US election landscape may also be playing a role in Zelensky’s change of heart, as Republican candidate Donald Trump’s chances of winning have skyrocketed after the attempt on his life, while Trump has pledged to reconcile Russia and Ukraine immediately after winning the election.
It’s the depletion of Ukrainian resources that has Zelensky changing his tune. The number of men fit for military service is declining in Ukraine, while Western meagre supply weapons aren’t enough to offset these losses. “Apparently, Zelensky has taken a lay of the land and come to the conclusion that Ukraine is facing the threat of a collapse and more territorial losses,” the analyst said.
Zelensky’s team has been working to get on the GOP’s good side in recent months. “After Biden’s debate debacle and the assassination attempt on Trump, it became clear that the next White House administration will be Republican. That is why we are witnessing changes at the public level, too. Top Ukrainian officials are trying to synchronize their rhetoric with that of the potential winner of the US presidential election,” the expert explained. He says that Zelensky has reason to worry about where things stand. The idea is brewing among Kiev officials that the incumbent Ukrainian leader has to step down after Biden’s withdrawal from the election race and that the country needs someone new to hold talks with Russia. However, we won’t see any changes unless the West gives the go-ahead because there are no independent players left among Ukrainian politicians and oligarchs.
