Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in a new interview with state television that the war in Ukraine could end in two months if the West stops providing military and financial support to Kyiv. According to him, Ukraine will not be able to hold out for long without the help of its allies, and “everything will be over in a month and a half to two months,” AFP reports.
Putin also noted that Russia is ready for talks to end the conflict, but ruled out the possibility of direct discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him “illegitimate”. He stressed that there is no “will to negotiate” on the part of Kyiv, and this, in his opinion, is what blocks the possibility of a peaceful settlement.
This statement came amid Ukraine’s fears of a possible reduction in US aid, especially in the context of a possible return to power of Donald Trump, who has previously criticised the amount of support for Kyiv.
Ukraine’s Western allies, however, stress that cutting off aid will only intensify Russia’s aggression and deepen the conflict. The Kremlin’s position once again shows an attempt to put pressure on the West through information messages aimed at reducing the level of support for Ukraine in the international arena.
