Russia has no desire to change terms of end of war – Institute for the Study of War
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) indicate that the russian authorities are deliberately distorting the legislation of Ukraine and the Constitution of Ukraine regarding elections under martial law, and also have no intention of giving in to the conditions for ending the war, which have not changed since 2021.
This is stated in another analytical report of ISW experts.
It is noted that the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that the Ukrainian Constitution and Ukrainian legislation prohibit Ukraine from holding presidential and parliamentary elections during martial law.
Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian authorities will be able to consider the issue of lifting martial law when the "hot phase" of the war ends, and when Ukraine takes a "strong position" with a "strong army, a strong package of weapons, security guarantees".
Analysts recall that the law of Ukraine "On the legal regime of martial law", adopted in 2000, provides that the Ukrainian authorities can end martial law "provided that the threat of attack or danger to the state independence of Ukraine and its territorial integrity is eliminated."
"Kremlin officials, including Putin, have repeatedly used deliberate misreadings of Ukraine's law and constitution to claim that Zelensky is an illegitimate president of Ukraine after Ukraine, adhering to the law and constitution, did not hold elections under martial law in 2024," the ISW stated.
The report adds that the Ukrainian authorities cannot legally lift martial law while russia continues its war against Ukraine.
Experts note that Zelenskyy outlined the conditions that must be met to force russia to agree to a "just peace."
Among other things, he stated that Ukraine cannot achieve a just peace with a small army, "of 40,000 or 50,000 soldiers," referring to russian leader vladimir putin's initial demand during russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul in the spring of 2022 that Ukraine demilitarize and maintain only a force of approximately 50,000.
"Putin and other Kremlin officials have repeatedly demanded conditions for ending the war that amount to Ukraine's complete capitulation, including the removal of the legitimate Ukrainian government and Ukraine's demilitarization. These demands have not changed since 2021," ISW believes.
Key Takeaways of the ISW for January 3:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined the conditions that must be met to push russia to agree to a "just peace."
- Ukrainian officials continue to signal that Ukraine is working to further increase its drone and missile capabilities in support of this goal.
- Zelenskyy reiterated on January 2 that the Ukrainian Constitution and Ukrainian law prohibit Ukraine from holding presidential and parliamentary elections during periods of martial law.
- The Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that several russian ships will soon arrive at the Port of Tartus in Syria to evacuate russian military assets to Libya.
- Russian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, and Vuhledar.
- The russian ministry of defense (MoD) continues to support its official “Glaz/Groza” reconnaissance and strike unit coordination software package despite russian soldiers’ continued reliance on other ad hoc communications systems.