Bloomberg: Russia willing to return to negotiations after occupying Donbas

The Russian authorities are willing to return to negotiations with Ukraine after capturing the entire territory of Donetsk Oblast, which they hope to achieve by the end of 2026.

Source: Bloomberg

Quote: "Russia is prepared to return to negotiations only after Putin has achieved the objective of taking Donetsk, according to two of the people close to the Kremlin. Russia's Defence Ministry has assured the president it can establish full control of the area by the end of the year, one person said." [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president – ed.]

Details: However, Bloomberg, citing sources close to Russia's Ministry of Defence, writes that many representatives of the Russian military consider the plans unrealistic and are convinced that taking control of Donetsk Oblast will only be possible in 2027.

Background:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in March that he was "surprised" that anyone could believe the war or its hot phase would end once Ukraine withdrew from Donbas.
• "The logical question is: if their goal is only Donbas – this is my question to our American colleagues – then if they can capture Donbas, why do they say they will go further and that there will be other conditions afterwards? So the issue is clearly not Donbas, as I see it," he said.
• NATO does not believe Russia will be capable of capturing the belt of fortifications in Donbas by the end of next year.

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