Ukraine is in real danger
General Vadym Skibitsky, the number two in Ukrainian military intelligence, told The Economist magazine that "discussions would be necessary at some point, as is the case in any war."
For the general, it seems clear that:
"It's not clear how Ukraine could win the war on the battlefield alone. Even if it were able to push Russian forces back to its borders, an increasingly distant prospect, this would not end the war."
He also predicts that Russia will first pursue its plan to "liberate" all of Ukraine's eastern regions, Donetsk and Luhansk, a task unchanged since 2022.
For General Skibitsky:
"Wars end with treaties." In other words, Ukraine and Russia will have to sit down around a table and negotiate an end to the conflict.
"Even if I managed to push back Russian troops to the borders (those of 2021), an increasingly distant prospect, the war would not end there (...) talks would be necessary anyway," explains the officer, who assures that these steps "will not begin in a significant way before the second half of 2025".
(MH with AmBar/Source: The Economist/Photo: Julia Rekamie/Unsplash)