Former US State Department special representative Kurt Volker is convinced that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will not yet agree to a 30-day ceasefire to end the war.
Points of attention
- Volker anticipates that a permanent ceasefire could eventually become a reality, but acknowledges that Putin is currently not inclined towards it.
- According to Volker, it is crucial to recognize Putin's intentions and remain steadfast in pressuring Russia until a resolution is achieved.
Volker doesn't believe Putin can stop
The American diplomat believes that at some point even a permanent ceasefire will become a reality, but for now it is important to recognize the fact that "Putin is not ready."
He doesn't want a ceasefire. He wants to keep fighting, attacking and bombing Ukrainian cities. He wants to see if his troops can achieve anything in a summer offensive. So he's just not ready for it.
Kurt Volker
Former Special Representative of the US Department of State
An American diplomat predicted that financial and military pressure on Russia will sooner or later bear fruit.
According to Volker, this could happen in the fall of 2025 or as early as next year.
"I think we'll probably get to that point by the end of this year," he says.
Volker also voiced the assumption that direct negotiations with Russia now will not help end the war and, in principle, are unlikely to lead to any result.
This will not lead to any progress. It is important to have international participation [in the negotiations] because Putin will lie, deceive and distort the facts — and everyone should see that.
