Ukrainian military intelligence head says he expects a ceasefire deal before the end of the year
Ukrainian military intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov said in a new interview that he expects Kyiv and Moscow to reach a ceasefire agreement by the end of the year. Speaking to journalist Eynulla Fatullayev, Budanov called the situation “paradoxical”:
Despite the fact that both sides’ starting positions are as diametrically opposed as possible, I still believe that this year we will reach a ceasefire. How long it will last and how effective it will be is another matter. But that it will happen — I think it will happen. Most of the necessary elements for this are in place.
Budanov stressed that this is his personal opinion, not the Ukrainian government’s official position. He also expressed skepticism about potential foreign peacekeeping troops. “There's not a single country where the deployment of peacekeepers has worked. Can this be considered a guarantee?” he asked Fatullayev rhetorically.
On the subject of Ukrainian membership in NATO, Budanov acknowledged that the issue is “complicated,” but he said he sees no meaningful alternative.
