"We're at a crossroads again". The negotiation window is still open, but the chances of a quick end to the war are fading — political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko
Despite increased contacts regarding possible peace talks between russia and Ukraine, the real prospects of ending the war are only becoming more distant. Political scientist and director of the Penta Center for Political Studies, Volodymyr Fesenko, stated this in a comment to OstroV.
"We're in a very contradictory situation. We're at a crossroads again. The only thing that can be said for sure is that there will still be some negotiations. But what kind, in what format, and about what specifically — those questions remain unanswered for now. All of that still needs to be clarified", - the political scientist described the current phase of the negotiation process.
Answering a question about the "window of opportunity", Fesenko said: "The paradox is that the window for negotiations is actually opening right now. But at the same time, the chances of ending the war in the near future are shrinking. That’s the paradox".
He explained that in March, the U.S. still insisted on a ceasefire as a condition for further negotiations. But now their approach has shifted — toward a broader agenda.
"Now we see that the U.S. is already willing to talk about ending the war in a broader sense, not just about a ceasefire. Trump even said this directly. But such negotiations — given the depth of the contradictions between russia and Ukraine — could go on for months, if not years", - he noted.
In the expert’s opinion, such a turn of events benefits the kremlin.
"Unfortunately, this fits perfectly into putin’s interests: dragging out the process, using negotiations as camouflage. And in parallel — not just continuing, but escalating military actions in Ukraine. And it’s through military pressure that they’re trying to influence the course of negotiations", - the political scientist emphasized.
Volodymyr Fesenko also noted that instead of moving toward peace, the current negotiation dynamics are only increasing uncertainty.
"So, we have a paradox: the negotiation window is open, but the chances of ending the war are fading. That’s the situation today", - he concluded.