Putin to stop war? Opposition figure sets deadline for final decision
Gudkov says Putin is weighing the risks between further escalation and a potential peace deal.
Putin at a crossroads: opposition figure gives timeframe when Russia may halt the war / © TSN.ua
Putin will likely stall until the summer while weighing whether to continue or halt the war.
This view was expressed by Russian opposition politician and former State Duma deputy Dmitry Gudkov during a broadcast on FREEDОМ.
«This is a crossroads. A new escalation could take many forms — more weapons for Ukraine, involvement of other countries, or escalation within Russian elites. A serious split could begin, and Putin might be forced to take into account the views of his inner circle. Something like that, ” Gudkov said, ” he said.
The former State Duma deputy says Putin may eventually realize it is pointless to delay because there are no breakthroughs on the front and relations with the United States are worsening. This could affect his decision to agree to a peace deal. For this, the Kremlin needs to prepare public opinion, often working on several scenarios at once.
«I think Putin will weigh his options. In the summer he will weigh what is more advantageous: to continue the war or to stop it, ” Gudkov said.
According to him, for now the dictator will delay and try to balance the situation, and in summer he will make a decision.
«Until the summer, Putin will try to get everything possible from this cold war and from all negotiations. For now, he is delaying, planning to delay, postponing the decision, ” he concluded.