Belgium’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not foresee a swift conclusion to the conflict in Ukraine. According to the Foreign Minister, the hostilities could potentially extend until 2028.
War in Ukraine / © Associated Press
Putin’s war in Ukraine will not end by the close of 2026, nor even by the end of 2027, despite the endeavors of Western and Ukrainian diplomats.
This declaration was made by the head of Belgium’s Foreign Ministry, Maxime Prévot, during a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andriy Sybiga, on Tuesday, August 18th.
“We all wish for this war to conclude quickly. However, without a certain naive optimism, we fear this will not transpire in the coming months. And perhaps, we may fear that this will not occur even by the end of 2027. Therefore, I understand Ukraine’s concerns regarding what will happen after 2027,” he stated.
He believes that the sum allocated by Europe to Ukraine, amounting to 90 billion, should serve as a “trump card” in future peace negotiations with the Russian Federation.
“Evidently, there is a legitimate discussion about preserving this sum as leverage in negotiations within the framework of a potential peace agreement, which should also compel Russia to cover all or part of the damages it has inflicted,” emphasized the European diplomat.
Forecasts on the End of the War in Ukraine
As a reminder, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated at the beginning of August that Kyiv is exerting maximum effort to bring the war with Russia to a close before the onset of winter. He believes that Putin can be compelled to engage in negotiations through two key factors: diplomatic pressure and sanctions imposed by partners.
Meanwhile, Ukraine and the United States are actively discussing potential timelines for ceasing hostilities and exploring new negotiation formats with the aggressor. According to the Head of the President’s Office, Kyrylo Budanov, there is a possibility of the war concluding by the end of 2026.
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