Moscow will return to negotiations with Ukraine no earlier than October — Ukrainian experts

Russia will not return to negotiations with Ukraine until October, after it tries to conduct a summer offensive, and its economy collapses. It is reported by DW* with reference to Ukrainian experts.

According to Ivan Stupak, a former employee of the Security Service of Ukraine, a military expert, Russia is not ready to talk now because it has an advantage at the front. Moscow is well aware that Kiev will use the 30-day truce to accumulate forces.

"They are well aware that the Ukrainians will dig up even more shelters in 30 days of ceasefire, prepare more drones and Russian losses will be many times greater. Therefore, they want to put the squeeze on, demand that Sumy region be annexed to them as well, and they will speak with ultimatums. And as long as there is no stalemate on the demarcation line, no one will sit down at the negotiating table," Stupak believes.

In his opinion, this may not happen until October, after Moscow tries to conduct a summer offensive.

Ivan Uss, chief consultant at the Center for Foreign Policy Studies at the National Institute for Strategic Studies in Kiev, believes that negotiations will begin no earlier than mid-autumn, since the Russian economy, in his opinion, may collapse closer to October and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be ready for a dialogue on ceasefire, concessions and the end of the conflict.

"Russia, on the one hand, wants to continue fighting, but understands that as long as the United States supports Ukraine, they will not succeed. That's why we came to Istanbul to voice our usual narratives," Uss added.

*An organization performing the functions of a foreign agent