“There will be no quick peace”: Portnikov gave a disappointing forecast

The end of the war depends solely on the Kremlin’s position, so hopes for quick US mediation currently have no real basis due to the lack of tools to put pressure on Moscow. Therefore, Ukrainians should prepare for a long confrontation and constant shelling.

This opinion was expressed by Ukrainian journalist and publicist Vitaliy Portnikov in an interview with the “Pryamiy” TV channel.

“Any steps towards ending the Russian-Ukrainian war are not a matter for Kyiv, but for Moscow,” Portnikov noted during a discussion of the prospects for the peace process.

The journalist added that despite calls to stop the heated phase, Moscow is putting forward conditions that effectively mean a refusal to negotiate. At the same time, US resources in the field of air defense are being exhausted due to the escalation in the Middle East. This creates a situation where Trump has practically nothing to offer the parties to achieve a real compromise in the near future, – explains Portnikov.

In addition, according to him, the American side is forced to take care of the stability of energy prices, which limits Washington’s sanctions capabilities.

Therefore, Portnikov believes that there are no objective prerequisites for a quick cessation of hostilities at the moment. He predicts a scenario in which active confrontation will transform into a prolonged exchange of remote strikes. The main goal of such attacks will remain the destruction of the economic and military potential of both countries.

“I do not rule out that such strikes will become commonplace in the Russian-Ukrainian war in the coming years without changing the front line,” the studio guest noted.

In his opinion, the only factor that could make the Russian leadership think about pausing is critical damage to their oil refineries and ports.

Portnikov drew a parallel with the Iran-Iraq conflict, where resource depletion led to a shaky ceasefire. However, he stressed that even with a ceasefire, hatred between the peoples would persist for decades, and the lull would only be used to accumulate new forces.

As “Pryamy” reported, Ukrainian politicians are discussing the possible arrival of Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who represent Donald Trump’s entourage, to the capital . The trip may take place in the coming weeks, but its feasibility depends on the parties’ willingness to make concessions. Thus, diplomat Konstantin Yeliseyev warned on “Pryamy” that the logic of “business diplomacy” guided by these individuals is often based on false trust in Russian proposals.

Instead, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that there is a certain time period for negotiations with the Russian Federation on the end of hostilities. According to the head of state, this period will last until the beginning of winter 2026 .

At the same time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously reported that trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US, and Russia to end the war are currently “on hold.” Washington allows them to resume if the talks are productive.

However, the head of the Presidential Office, Kirill Budanov, recently stated that the negotiation process between Ukraine and Russia has not reached a dead end . Despite the pause at the highest level, contacts between the parties continue.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the war against Ukraine could allegedly end “by the end of the day” if Kyiv agrees to fulfill Moscow’s demands and withdraw troops from the territories occupied by Russia.

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