Putin won't go to Turkey, war will likely last at least until autumn — political analyst

Political analyst Volodymyr Horbach expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

“In my opinion, Putin will not go to Istanbul, of course. Attending a meeting with Zelenskyy would mean giving him the initiative. And with all these maneuvers, Putin is fighting to hold on to that initiative, especially in the negotiation process, and not let it slip from his hands,” Horbach said.

He added that Putin will continue trying to undermine the unity and cohesion of the Western coalition and will likely put forward new initiatives.

“I wouldn’t rule out that he might even resort to force—by showcasing new, imagined, or underdeveloped military capabilities—to scare Western partners into putting more pressure on Ukraine and accepting Russian demands and ultimatums. Because this is essentially a war of ultimatums—it’s an endless exchange. Ultimatum for ultimatum, with both sides dodging direct responses, and the game goes on. And it’s a dangerous game,” he warned.

Horbach believes the war is likely to drag on at least through the fall. “If Putin didn’t act on Trump’s proposals or his own declared ceasefires for Easter and May 9, then there’s no reason to believe he’ll honor any new ceasefire promises—even if he rhetorically claims Russia has stopped firing. He’ll lie to our faces, saying Russia isn’t shooting, only Ukraine is,” he concluded.

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