German Ambassador to Russia believes that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin "does not want to negotiate at all" and will most likely be re-elected in the March 2024 presidential election.
Putin has not changed his attitude to the war against Ukraine
The new German ambassador to Russia, Alexander Lambsdorff, notes that "Putin has only once again confirmed his military goals, he does not want to negotiate at all."
Also, according to the diplomat, there is no reason to assume that Putin may change his attitude to the war after the presidential elections in Russia in 2024.
According to the German ambassador to Russia, "there are no cracks in Putin's system" and there is no evidence that the Kremlin dictator's health "may not be in the best condition".
There is also no reason to believe that Putin can be replaced, and we should expect him to be re-elected to the presidency again, Lambsdorff said.
Lambsdorff assessed the effectiveness of sanctions against Russia
Assessing the effectiveness of Western sanctions against Russia, the diplomat noted that they work, and further strengthening of EU sanctions could be effective, but it is not a "light switch".
"You cannot impose sanctions and at the same time change the behaviour of the party subject to them," the ambassador said.
However, such measures are designed to "maximise the price for certain actions", and in the case of Russia, we can assume that this is exactly what is happening.
The Ambassador also believes that the people of Russia are cautiously moving away from supporting the war against Ukraine. This is being replaced by a "vague desire for peace" and a return to normal life.
At the same time, Russians are concerned about inflation and limited access to travel around the world due to sanctions.
