Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán proposed arranging a summit between Putin and former U.S. President Trump, which Russia welcomed, presenting it as proof they are open to negotiation. Putin also publicly identified his three key negotiators—Ushakov, Medinsky, and Lavrov—to reinforce the claim that Russia is serious about diplomacy. However, analysts note that Russia’s stated negotiating terms remain unchanged and non-negotiable, making a real diplomatic breakthrough unlikely.
Russian officials repeatedly assert that if diplomacy fails, they will continue achieving their goals militarily, and Putin has stated that any Ukrainian territories occupied by Russian troops could later be annexed following staged “votes.” The discussion emphasizes that Russia believes it is under broad Western pressure—not just in Ukraine but through intelligence activity across the region—and does not think the West will agree to Russia’s conditions for peace.
Recent corruption scandals within Zelensky’s inner circle, especially surrounding his chief of staff Yermak, are portrayed as destabilizing the Ukrainian government. Commentators speculate that Yermak may expose Western politicians who benefited from illicit funds rather than accept blame alone. This political crisis, combined with battlefield losses, is seen as eroding morale in Ukraine’s military, raising the risk of desertions or even commanders turning against Kyiv.
The conversation concludes that Ukraine’s government is entering a collapse phase, Russia is committed to achieving its objectives through force if needed, and NATO may soon face the geopolitical fallout of a Russian victory and the failure of Western diplomacy.
Credit to : Daniel Davis / Deep Dive