Russia Prepares for New Offensives in Ukraine, Not Ceasefire, Zelenskyy Says

Strategic Insights -

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Russia is preparing for new offensives in Ukraine, rather than working towards a ceasefire or ending the war. This announcement comes ahead of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday. Zelenskyy expressed his concerns in his nightly address, citing the lack of signs that Russia is preparing for a post-war situation. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has been engaging in diplomatic efforts, speaking with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to rally support for Ukraine beyond Europe.

Key Takeaways:

  • Russia is preparing for new offensives in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
  • The Ukrainian president stated that there is no sign that Russia is preparing for a post-war situation.
  • Zelenskyy has been engaging in diplomatic efforts, speaking with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to rally support for Ukraine.
  • US President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Zelenskyy's insistence on holding a national referendum on any peace deal stipulating recognising Russian control over occupied territory.
  • The Putin-Trump meeting on Friday is expected to discuss "land swapping" and may give momentum to the normalisation of relations between Russia and the US.
  • European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned against concessions to Moscow, stating that the EU would work on a 19th package of sanctions against Russia.

Statistics:

  • 5 undersea cables damaged in the Baltic Sea by a ship believed to belong to Russia's shadow fleet (Finnish prosecutors, Monday).
  • 90km (56 miles) of seabed dragging by the ship's anchor, causing damage to the cables.
  • 420km (260 miles) east of Moscow, the location where a Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and wounded two others (Russian official, Monday).
  • 19th package of sanctions against Russia, planned by the European Union (EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Monday).

Sources:

  • "[Putin] is certainly not getting ready for a ceasefire and war end," (Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Monday).
  • Tass news agency, Russia: "We hope that the upcoming high-level meeting will give an impulse to the normalization of bilateral relations" (Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Tuesday).
  • "The sequencing of the steps is important. First an unconditional ceasefire with a strong monitoring system and ironclad security guarantees" (EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas, Monday).
  • Finnish prosecutors, Monday: "The captain and first and second officers of the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S are alleged to have dragged the ship's anchor on the seabed for about 90km (56 miles), damaging five undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland."