Kremlin strategises prolonged talks to cement territorial gains
The Kremlin is concentrating on prolonging peace negotiations with Ukraine to gain as much territory as possible and secure an advantage over Kyiv in its relations with the USA, reports the independent Russian portal "The Moscow Times," citing four sources familiar with the Russian government's plans.
One Russian diplomat, in an interview with "The Moscow Times," admitted that time is on Russia's side, and the Kremlin intends to leverage this to its benefit. Although President Vladimir Putin agreed to Donald Trump's proposition for a 30-day ceasefire, he stressed that the "nuances" are pivotal.
Moscow claims that the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson are part of Russia, even though they are not fully controlled by the Russian army. Russia aims to retain these territories because their status is enshrined in the constitution.
A Russian official indicated that, in his view, the Kremlin hopes that Washington will either quietly overlook further Russian advances on the battlefield or even pressurise Kyiv to withdraw its troops from Russian-occupied regions, including the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Another option for Russia is attempting to take part of another Ukrainian region, such as the Dnipropetrovsk or Sumy regions, and then propose an exchange for the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, according to a source from "The Moscow Times" portal.
According to Russian diplomats, "the exact location of the division line is not crucial for Washington." Trump wants to see a modern, well-armed, pro-Western Ukraine. He cannot simply abandon Ukraine entirely. But the exact location of the border is not as significant to him - stated one of the diplomats.
Israeli military expert David Sharp believes that Russia is not capable of quickly occupying all the territories it wishes to control. According to him, Russia is betting on wearing down its opponent over a longer period.
For the discussions with the USA in Saudi Arabia, Moscow sent experienced negotiators, including Senator Grigory Karasin and FSB advisor Sergei Beseda. Both have extensive experience with Ukrainian matters.
