Putin is already wondering how much longer he can keep the war going, - Sikorski
The stabilization of the front lines by Ukraine and the victory of pro-democratic forces in Hungary, among other factors, are forcing Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to seriously consider how much longer he can continue the war against Ukraine.
According to Censor.NET, citing a report by "European Truth," Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski made this statement during a discussion at the PISM Strategic Ark conference alongside the Ukrainian Foreign Minister.
The war could go on for a long time
At the outset, Sikorski noted that Ukraine’s partners should prepare themselves from the start for the possibility that the war could last a long time.
"It is important that the enemy knows that Ukraine is ready to keep fighting, and that we are ready to continue supporting it. I think the fact that Ukraine has stabilized the front lines, and Europe is emerging from paralysis thanks to the brilliant victory of pro-democratic forces in Hungary, is now forcing Putin to reassess his calculations—whether he can wage this war for another two years. And that is truly the question: whether he can," he noted.
Putin has not achieved his initial war objectives
According to Sikorski, if Putin were still capable of resorting to a major escalation, he would have done so, but he doesn’t have many options left.
"But he is currently losing more soldiers than he can recruit. He has lost the battle for the Black Sea. His air force does not have superiority in Ukrainian airspace, and the economy is starting to get really bad. … He must acknowledge that his initial war aims are unattainable—and only then will he be ready for real negotiations," noted the Polish foreign minister.
