The head of the President's Office, Kyrylo Budanov, said that President Zelenskyy had instructed him to end the war quickly. Negotiations continue, although not in public. Ukraine continues to launch strikes on Russian territory, which puts serious psychological pressure on the Moscow leadership. A prisoner exchange is expected soon.
- Zelenskyy ordered to end the war as soon as possible, preferably before winter.
- Negotiations are ongoing, but not public.
- Russia is not interested in peace, but there are chances for it to begin.
- The exchange of prisoners between the parties is likely to take place soon.
Prospects for a quick end to the war
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy set the task of ending the war as soon as possible, preferably before the onset of winter. The head of the President's Office Kirill Budanov noted that there are now prospects for a possible end to the hostilities, although Russia is not very interested in peace.
Budanov stressed that it is important to focus on preserving the state and stop looking for internal enemies, leaving the assessment of heroism and evasion for the post-war period. “After the war, we will figure out who is a bigger hero, who is a smaller one, who is a bastard and who is a shirker. Now we need to preserve the state itself,” he said.
Progress of the negotiation process and prisoner exchange
The head of the OP denied the idea of deadlock in negotiations, saying that the process is ongoing but not entirely public. He has not received any information about a possible truce for Trinity, as previously stated by the Russian side.
Budanov confirmed that in the near future, the prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia. The effectiveness of this step depends on the positions of all parties to the negotiations, as issues cannot be resolved unilaterally.
Military threats and attacks on the territory of the Russian Federation
According to Budanov, the Russian Kedr and«Oreshnik» are more demonstrative, while Iskanders, S-400 systems, air- and sea-launched cruise missiles, and drones remain a threat to Ukraine.
Russia has a sufficient stockpile of weapons to continue fighting, but Ukrainian strikes on its territory have a serious psychological and systemic effect. Moscow was not prepared for the massive use of drones and missiles on its own territory, which affects its combat potential.
International context and the role of Trump's envoys
Budanov said that the president's envoys Donald Trump confirmed visit to Kyiv. The effectiveness of their visit depends on the positions of both Ukraine and Russia, as peace processes cannot be resolved unilaterally.
This visit could be an important component in advancing the negotiations, but the key remains with the parties to the conflict and their willingness to compromise.
