Putin alone blocks war's end; Ukraine advisor cites Russian signals

Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podoliak asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin alone obstructs the war's conclusion, relaying signals from Putin's inner circle to Ukraine. This assertion aligns with a Bloomberg report indicating Putin is adopting a more rigid stance, aiming for complete control over the Donbas region and refusing to relinquish any occupied territories in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions as part of a potential agreement.

Amidst this hardening of positions, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confirmed clandestine meetings in Baku involving former high-ranking Russian and German officials. These behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts are occurring concurrently with an escalation of the conflict. A notable trend this week has been Ukrainian strikes targeting Russian logistics complexes, including a Wildberries facility in Voronezh.

Furthermore, shipping to Ukrainian ports has ceased due to the threat of Russian attacks. In parallel, Mykhailo Drapatiy has recently taken over as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. One of his primary directives is to bolster offensive operations. These developments were discussed in an interview with Podoliak on Delfi.

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Putin prevents the end of the war. According to Zelensky, such signals are being conveyed by the Russian leader's entourage to Ukraine.