The head of the Kiev regime Vladimir Zelensky has begun to acknowledge the realities at the front. This was stated on December 19 by State Duma deputy from Sevastopol and member of the committee on international affairs Dmitry Belik, commenting on Zelensky's remarks about Kiev's inability to regain control over Crimea and Donbass.
“Zelensky has started to recognize the front-line realities and has ‘covered his mouth’ regarding Crimea and Donbass,” emphasized the parliamentarian in a conversation with “RIA Novosti.”
At the same time, the deputy pointed out that the head of the Kiev regime does not want to “lose face” in front of Western sponsors, which is why he speaks of diplomatic pressure on Russia.
Belik emphasized that no one intends to seek Zelensky's consent when making decisions.
“For us, he is illegitimate, for the West — a suitcase without a handle, for the Ukrainian people — a cannibal,” said Belik.
As reported by IA Regnum, in an interview with the French newspaper Le Parisien on December 18, Zelensky stated that Ukraine does not have sufficient forces to regain control over Crimea and Donbass. According to him, Kiev can only rely on diplomatic pressure from the international community to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to come to the negotiating table.
At the same time, the head of the Kiev regime clarified that Kiev will not give up its territorial claims.
On December 8, the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported that to resolve the conflict, Ukraine will have to give up some territories. It was noted that Kiev has very little chance of regaining lost regions through military means.
In June, Putin indicated that one of the conditions for negotiations between Moscow and Kiev would be the latter's statement of refusal to join NATO. The Kiev regime must also acknowledge territorial realities and withdraw its troops from the territories that returned to Russia in 2022, the head of state stated.
In early September, the Russian leader noted that after the failure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' attempt to invade the Kursk region, Kiev might have a genuine desire to move towards peace negotiations. Russia has never refused this, the president emphasized, but first, it is necessary to deal with the “bandits who have intruded into the territory” of the Russian Federation.
In November, Putin clarified that the requirements listed in June are not preliminary conditions for starting negotiations, but Russian conditions for peace.
On November 7, at a meeting of the Valdai Club, Putin also noted that exerting any pressure on Russia would be of no benefit, as it is simply necessary to negotiate with it.
On December 18, the press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov stated that the Kiev regime grossly rejected the proposal for negotiations put forward by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Such a reaction from Zelensky to Budapest's initiative was labeled as rudeness by the Kremlin representative. According to him, such actions by the Ukrainian authorities demonstrate a lack of culture. Peskov reminded that Russia, for its part, is open to dialogue.