Russia retains maximalist objectives in its war against Ukraine - ISW

Russia continues to insist on terms that correspond to the unchanged war aims of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. This is evidenced by a statement from Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, which the Institute for the Study of War analyzed, reports UNN.

Details

According to available information, on August 21, Ryabkov stated that Russia would agree only to a peace proposal that corresponded to Putin's war aims and, in the words of the Russian official, the "realities of the situation."

Putin's maximalist and frequently repeated war aims include Ukraine's complete capitulation, the establishment of a pro-Russian puppet government in Kyiv, and strict restrictions on the Ukrainian military and Ukraine's aspirations for NATO membership. Russian officials' constant references to the "realities of the battlefield" do not address the problem of Russia's slowing advances and gradual tactical successes, but instead demand that Ukraine yield to Russia's unyielding demands

According to ISW, Ryabkov's statement confirms Putin's commitment to continuing the war in Ukraine despite growing economic and military pressure.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to peace negotiations and readiness to make meaningful compromises to end the war, despite Russia's attempts to falsely portray Ukraine as the intransigent party in peace efforts

Recall

According to the Financial Times, Russian dictator does not plan to engage in genuine negotiations on ending the war until 2027. The Kremlin expects the United States to persuade Kyiv to make concessions without any compromises on the part of Russia.