Putin's new whims indicate his unwillingness to end war - ISW

Russian dictator vladimir putin said that he considers the current Ukrainian government "illegitimate". He is convinced that it is impossible to conclude a peace agreement with the current Ukrainian government.

This is stated in the analysis of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

As ISW writes, in his usual manner, putin said that he doubts the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In addition, the dictator said that concluding a peace agreement with the current Ukrainian government is allegedly impossible, effectively excluding the possibility of serious peace negotiations.

Putin said that he "sees no point" in negotiations with Ukraine, explaining this by the fact that reaching agreements with Kyiv is allegedly "impossible." At the same time, he put forward a new demand: even in the event of a peace agreement being signed, Ukraine must lift martial law, hold presidential election, and after that, organize a "national referendum to codify the agreements."

ISW analysts recalled that putin and other Kremlin representatives have repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, deliberately distorting the norms of the Ukrainian Constitution. According to experts, such statements are part of putin's strategy - to present Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian leadership as partners with whom it is impossible to negotiate or sign peace.

According to ISW, in this way putin once again demonstrated his disinterest in meaningful negotiations to end the war. And also that the Kremlin leader seeks to postpone or continue the negotiations, and his statements are an attempt to justify russia's refusal to negotiate at all. At the same time, he shifts the blame to Ukraine for the disruption of the diplomatic process.