Putin may consider negotiations only under intense pressure — journalist Portnikov

Journalist Vitaly Portnikov shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

“There is no need to look for ways to achieve a truce if your opponent is not under severe pressure. Also, if the population of that opponent does not feel that compromises are necessary and agrees and creates a demand for compromises. The Russian population does not create a demand for compromises for Putin,” Portnikov explained.

According to the journalist, the Russian population is not interested in ending the war against Ukraine. Instead, Russians are actually demanding that Putin destroy more Ukrainian cities.

"The Russian population is completely satisfied with the war in Ukraine. When I saw the latest comments from Belgorod residents about the blackout in their city, the main motive there was that their authorities had promised to create a gray zone. That is, they are demanding the capture of even more Ukrainian territory and the razing of even more Ukrainian cities to the ground. Then Putin may well consider that the coming years will be a period of constant, permanent Russian-Ukrainian war for him. However, if he comes under pressure, for example, from Tomahawk missiles, or at least the talk of them, strikes on the oil refining industry, strikes on military-industrial complex facilities, then he may consider negotiations. But this pressure needs to be tougher," he added.

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