Putin's power wobbles: Is the ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict now?

Putin's power wobbles: Is the ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict now?

The situation in Russia is becoming increasingly critical in view of the continuous problems in the Ukraine conflict. According to political scientist Igor Reuterovich, however, a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine could move closer after Donald Trump will take office on January 20. Reuterovich explained in the radio station "The New Voice of Ukraine" that such an armistice could initially be military in order to avoid political complications. This would mean that high-ranking military officers represent both sides, similar to earlier agreements between North and South Korea. However, whether this plan can be implemented successfully remains questionable, since Putin's government has already rejected a preliminary ceasefire proposal from Trump's team, as Berlin Live

The rejected proposal included a shift in Ukraine-Nato membership by 20 years and the continuation of western arms deliveries to Ukraine. In addition, European peace troops would have been planned to monitor the ceasefire. The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrow critically commented on the suggestions and warned that they would "freeze" a conflict along the current front line. He emphasized that Russia was not satisfied with the conditions. This happens at a time when the Russian economy is significantly weakened. Food prices rise rapidly, and the armaments industry can no longer offer the necessary level of support to cushion the crisis. Timothy Ash from the British Think tank "Chatham House" believes that Putin bluffs and urgently needs a deal to compensate for the high losses and the unstable situation, such as Merkur reported.

The chances of an armistice could be increasingly relevant, since Selenskyj has pleaded for collateral in the form of NATO membership in order to avert further obvious threats from Russia. The back and forth about the peaceful negotiations remains a central challenge for the coming months in the Ukraine conflict.