Photo: Kyrylo Budanov / Telegram
According to him, Russia has a “clear incentive to reach a deal.”
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s presidential office and chief negotiator, believes the war in Ukraine could end relatively soon. In an interview with Bloomberg, he suggested that Moscow and Kyiv may move closer to a compromise, even though both sides have maintained maximalist positions.
“Everyone understands that the war must end. That’s why they are negotiating. I don’t think it will take long,” Budanov said.
In his view, Russia has a “clear incentive to reach an agreement.” He explained that, unlike Ukraine, Russians are “spending their own money,” with costs already reaching into the trillions.
At the same time, Budanov did not specify what a territorial compromise might look like, noting that no final decision has been made yet.
“But in general, everyone now clearly understands the limits of what is acceptable. This is huge progress,” he added.
However, as Bloomberg reports, this optimistic assessment is not shared in Moscow. According to sources cited by journalists, little real progress has been made in the negotiations, and discussions on security guarantees have largely stalled.
Sources close to the Kremlin say resolving the conflict will require a broader agreement beyond Moscow and Kyiv, involving the United States and Europe. However, their leaders do not have a unified vision of how the war should end. One source noted that the only tangible outcome of negotiations this year is that both sides have outlined positions unacceptable to the other.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that talks on settling the war in Ukraine are currently on pause, although Russia and Ukraine continue separate contacts with the United States through their own channels and exchange information. The Kremlin has also expressed hope that after the end of the conflict in the Middle East, Washington will have more time to focus on resolving the war in Ukraine.
