Putin wants to end the war against Ukraine by the end of the year, according to Bloomberg
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin reportedly aims to end the war against Ukraine by the end of the year, but only under conditions that the Kremlin would consider a victory.
Bloomberg reports this, citing sources close to the Russian government.
According to the agency, tensions are mounting among members of the Russian elite due to the situation on the front lines and the lack of a clear plan for ending the war.
Bloomberg’s sources claim that some high-ranking Kremlin officials believe the war has reached a stalemate, and there is currently no clear path to its conclusion.
One source stated that Putin would like to end the war by the end of 2026, but only under conditions that Moscow can present as a victory.
According to the agency’s source, the Kremlin aims to establish full control over the Donbas, conclude a large-scale security agreement with Europe, and secure de facto recognition of the territories seized by Russia.
At the same time, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov told Bloomberg that Putin allegedly has not set any specific deadlines for ending the war.
Statements from Bloomberg’s sources echo previous comments by Russian authorities.
During a press conference on May 9, Vladimir Putin stated that “the matter is nearing completion.” The very next day, his aide Yuri Ushakov said that Ukraine must withdraw its troops from Donbas.
According to the Ukrainian project DeepState, by mid-May, the Ukrainian Armed Forces had managed to stabilize most of the front and almost completely halt the advance of Russian troops.
Additionally, Russia lost some territory for the first time since February, based on the results of the past week.
At the same time, as Bloomberg notes, neither Kyiv nor Moscow has yet achieved its strategic goals. Ukraine has been unable to regain most of the occupied territories, and the negotiation process has not brought the parties closer to an acceptable peace agreement.
The Kremlin stated that “peace” in Ukraine could supposedly be achieved immediately if the Ukrainian leadership makes the appropriate decisions.
And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has several ideas on how to force Russia to end the war, but to do so, a meeting with the American side is necessary.
