Putin likely accepts that Ukraine will put Kursk region on negotiating table – political expert

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"Putin's statements reveal his public inconsistency. He claimed there would be no negotiations or prisoner exchanges, yet shortly after, 115 of our defenders were returned in a prisoner swap. This underscores the weakening of the Russian dictator’s position and shows that the Kursk operation is achieving its political objective: chipping away at the Kremlin leader's whims, though this is far from sufficient," Chalenko remarked.

The expert suggests that while Putin aimed to leverage certain victories on the frontlines, the Kursk operation has seriously destabilized him.

"Putin needs to present himself as a proponent of peace, but he continues to find excuses why it's impossible. Now, he’s blaming the Kursk operation. It’s clear the Kremlin hasn’t yet figured out how to navigate the current situation. The propaganda claims that Ukrainians will remain in the Kursk region until the war’s end indicate that Putin has likely accepted that Ukraine will put the situation in the Kursk region on the negotiating table," Chalenko speculated.

• Previously, it was suggested that Russia would only consider negotiations with Ukraine if it believed Kyiv could "threaten Moscow and St. Petersburg."
• Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia has never abandoned peace talks with Ukraine. However, he insists that they must first "deal with the bandits" who entered the Kursk region.