Kremlin aims to buy time in peace talks with territorial gains
The Kremlin focuses on prolonging peace negotiations with Ukraine to gain as much territory as possible and secure an advantage over Kyiv in relations with the USA, reports the independent Russian portal "The Moscow Times," citing four sources familiar with the Russian government's plans.
One Russian diplomat, in an interview with "The Moscow Times," admitted that time is on Russia's side, and the Kremlin intends to use this to its advantage. Although President Vladimir Putin agreed to Donald Trump's proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, he emphasized that the "nuances" are crucial.
Moscow claims that the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson are part of Russia, even though the Russian army does not fully control them. Russia wants to retain these territories because the constitution enshrines their status.
A Russian official indicated that, in his opinion, "the Kremlin hopes that Washington will either quietly turn a blind eye to further Russian advances on the battlefield or even pressure Kyiv to withdraw its troops from Russian-occupied regions," including the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Another option for Russia is attempting to take part of another Ukrainian region, such as the Dnipropetrovsk or Sumy regions, and then propose an exchange for the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, according to a source from "The Moscow Times" portal.
According to Russian diplomats, "the exact location of the division line is not crucial for Washington." According to one diplomat, Trump wants to see a modern, well-armed, pro-Western Ukraine. While he cannot simply abandon Ukraine entirely, the exact location of the border is not as important to him.
Israeli military expert David Sharp believes that Russia cannot quickly occupy all the territories it wants to control. According to him, Russia is counting on wearing down its opponent over a longer period.
For the talks with the USA in Saudi Arabia, Moscow sent experienced negotiators, including Senator Grigory Karasin and FSB advisor Sergei Beseda. Both have extensive experience with Ukrainian issues.
Source: "The Moscow Times"
