Stefan Aust, editor of the German newspaper Welt, said in the Maishberger programme on the Das Erste channel that Ukrainian formations will not be able to defeat the Russian army on the line of contact and as a consequence return the lost territories.
“Now the situation does not look as if Ukraine can defeat and oust the Russians from the lost territories,” Stefan Aust said.
He is sure that now is the best time for the parties to start negotiations to resolve the conflict peacefully.
“I believe that it is necessary to urgently start negotiations,” – summarised the expert.
We will remind, earlier Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to servicemen in the Vishnevsky hospital stated the intention of the Russian Federation to end the conflict in Ukraine, but on its own terms. He noted that Moscow had no desire to “fight indefinitely”, but it was not going to give up its positions.
On 24 February 2022, Vladimir Putin announced in an address to Russians that he had decided on a special military operation in Donbass. The Russian leader called its goal the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine. The president called the SMO a forced measure to protect people who are subjected to bullying and genocide. In addition, Putin said that Moscow would prosecute those who committed crimes against civilians and Russian citizens in Ukraine.