The Commissioner of the European Union for Defense and Space, Andrius Kubilius, said that the bloc and his allies do not believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is interested in negotiations, and that he “wants to continue” the war.
Kubossu said to CNNin an interview on Monday (21), that the Russian leader “considers he is winning”.
“Many European leaders are making it clear that there are no clear signs that Putin will agree with peace while the situation continues as it is, because perhaps he believes he is gaining in this conflict,” the European commissioner said.
He explained that, therefore, “the strength on the Ukrainian side” is one of the conditions for peace to come faster.
Kubilius’s statements occur while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Russia and Ukraine will have the next round of peace negotiations on Wednesday (23) in Türkiye.
Kremlin previously stated that it is in favor of this new round of negotiations, but stressed that there is still a lot of diplomatic work to be done to reduce the differences between the parties.
Understand the war in Ukraine
Russia began the large -scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently has about one fifth from the territory of the neighboring country.
Ainda Em 2022, O Presidente Russo, Vladimir Putin,: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson e Zaporizhzhia.
The Russians slowly advance through the east and Moscow. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, president of the United States, pressures for a peace agreement.
Ukraine has made attacks and says operations aim to destroy essential infrastructure of the Russian army.
Putin’s government, in turn, including offensive with drones.
Both sides deny target civilians, but thousands died in the conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainians.
Thousands of soldiers are also believed to have died on the front line, but neither side releases numbers of military lows.
The United States claim that 1.2 million people were injured or killed in the war.