Putin has realized that he won't achieve military victory – diplomat Ohryzko

He expressed this opinion in the Verdict with Serhii Rudenko program on Espreso TV. 

“Putin and his so-called diplomats have already realized that they will not win a military victory. Now the traditional stage of bargaining for Russian so-called diplomacy is beginning: we (Russian diplomats - ed.) will raise our demands to the maximum; everything we have grabbed is already ours, and if we get (Russia - ed.) even a piece left over in the end, it will be good. This Russian tradition is unchanged,” Ohryzko said.

According to the diplomat, it is impossible to imagine that Zelenskyy and the authorities will agree to negotiate territorial concessions.

“I do not think that the leadership of Ukraine will abandon the strategy of liberating Crimea and all territories that are currently temporarily occupied by Russia. In my opinion, there is no point in negotiating with Russia right now,” Ogryzko emphasized.

• The West has unofficially given Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy time to de-occupy Ukraine until the fall, and may then increase pressure to start peace talks.

• The Institute for the Study of War reports that during his visit to Beijing, Alexander Lukashenko is promoting Russia's information operation aimed at slowing down Western aid to Ukraine and forcing Kyiv to negotiate.