Volodymyr Zelensky's statements during the meeting with deputies from the "Servants of the People" faction that the war could end by November are related to the autumn elections for the US Congress, RBC-Ukraine writes, citing a source.
"We assume that the Americans intend to try to calm things down before their elections in the fall," the media source said.
Washington's calculation is based on the fact that the US will soon end the war with Iran and then Donald Trump, Stephen Witkoff and Jared Kushner will have time and opportunity to return to resolving the Ukrainian conflict. Specifically, a visit by Kushner and Witkoff to Ukraine, where Zelensky has already twice publicly invited them, could take place.
With regard to Russia, the Ukrainian authorities expect that if Vladimir Putin "sees that he is stuck in Donbas, he will not stay next winter".
Kiev has set itself the maximum task for the next 5-6 months "to try to bring the peace process to an acceptable result for Ukraine" – for example, freezing the conflict on the front line with the receipt of security guarantees.
According to the forecast of a source from Zelensky's entourage, even if Russia agrees to a freeze on the contact line, during the negotiations it will set Ukraine some, by the source's definition, “initially unfulfillable condition“: recognition of Russian as the second state language or “extradition of the persons involved in the strike on Starobelsk“.
At the same time, the source admits that some of Russia's demands in the humanitarian sphere may seem completely acceptable in the eyes of the United States and even Europe, but cause indignation in Ukraine itself, at least on social networks. And such a split "will also play in Moscow's favor".
According to the source from the presidential entourage, the Russians have a clear plan in case of freezing the war or reducing its intensity, for example, without using missile strikes.
"Their plan is to bring about elections, internal political fragmentation of Ukraine and thus achieve the same goals of Russia through political methods or a new full-scale war, but in conditions of significant internal weakening and fragmentation of Ukraine," he notes.
While Zelensky spoke before the party about the imminent end of the hot phase of the war, according to Western media reports, he ordered the government to prepare for another 2-3 years of war.