Pokrovsk holds strategic value for Putin, but he won't succeed — general Malomuzh

He shared on Espreso TV.  

"Before the start of the negotiation process, Putin wants to show that he has effectively captured Pokrovsk and is practically on the verge of fulfilling his aggressive objectives in completing the special operation—seizing Donetsk, Luhansk, parts of Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson regions, and, of course, pushing Ukrainian troops out of the Kursk region. This is the current goal, which we are preventing. 

Today, he desperately needs to take Pokrovsk, even at the cost of other interests and a significant number of casualties. He still wants to capture Pokrovsk. So that, during negotiations with Trump, he can argue that he is achieving his objectives, that all the territories will be controlled, and he will, as he says, be 'in the driver's seat' during the talks, leaving Trump with no counterarguments," the general noted.

At the same time, Mykola Malomuzh noted that Ukrainian defenders are preventing Putin from achieving his plans. He is convinced that "the Pokrovsk factor will not work."

"Firstly, we are not allowing this, on one hand, and on the other hand, arguments like 'I’ve captured this' are the arguments of an aggressor. 'I’ve captured something else, so agree to my future and current aggressive plans.' In this case, Trump’s position will be strong in reaffirming the principles of international law and demanding the withdrawal from our territory, but under intense pressure. 

Putin, I emphasize again, only reacts to what is crucial for him: losing the war, the collapse of his regime, and the external factor, if the war is lost on the battlefield, but also in terms of global partners and internal destabilization. I am drawing from the operational pressure factors here, and this is within the capabilities of the Americans and others. This is how action must be taken. Therefore, I believe that the Pokrovsk factor will not work. Firstly, we will not give it up, and secondly, it will not be critical in the negotiation process," said Mykola Malomuzh.

• A meeting between Trump and Putin is entirely possible, as it aligns with the intentions of the Russian leader.