Putin will play for time: What will force the Kremlin master to agree to a ceasefire – an expert's opinion

Russian president Vladimir Putin will delay negotiations with Donald Trump and bargain, trying to convince the American leader that Ukrainians are to blame for the war.

This opinion was shared by political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko in a comment on Radio NV.

The expert notes that radical changes are currently taking place within the U.S. government, which are effectively undermining the principles of previous American foreign policy.

"Right now, there is an ideological counterrevolution in the U.S., tectonic shifts are happening in American politics, and Putin wants to take advantage of this. He feels that it is easier to negotiate with Trump. There is now a certain ideological affinity between Trump and Putin, and he wants to capitalize on it," Fesenko emphasized.

However, the expert points out that while Trump wants to achieve a ceasefire quickly – within 100 days of his presidency – Putin clearly wants to delay this decision.

"Therefore, Putin will have to make up his mind. I think he will delay things a bit, and now he will bargain, trying to convince Trump that the Ukrainians are to blame for everything and that pressure should be applied only to Ukraine," he suggested.

Furthermore, the political scientist believes that Putin's decision on the ceasefire will be influenced by the situation at the front, as he still harbors the illusion that he has a chance to win the war.

"Therefore, the enemy must be stopped at the border between Kursk and Sumy regions, in the Kharkiv region near Kupiansk, and in Donetsk region. Only then will Putin be more inclined to negotiate," Volodymyr Fesenko emphasized.

The expert notes that the Russian president is currently hesitating between prioritizing dialogue with Trump and then agreeing to ceasefire negotiations or continuing the war in the hope of defeating Ukraine.

"War is a drug not only for Putin but for the Russian government and the Russian political system as a whole. It is now being discussed in expert circles that Russia wants to continue the war to avoid internal problems," Volodymyr Fesenko concluded.

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