Summary

"We have to be brutally honest and admit that the peace will not be a just one," British Russia expert Mark Galeotti told Yle while in Finland. His comments come amid Russia agreeing to US calls to resume peace talks with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) is visiting Kyiv on Thursday to show support, as Finland remains one of Ukraine’s strongest backers. Galeotti says Ukraine's situation has grown more difficult as Russia has stepped up its strikes on energy infrastructure and other civilian sites. At the same time, a recent nationwide survey in Ukraine shows that most Ukrainians are ready for a ceasefire and support negotiations to achieve peace, even through territorial concessions. Russia, too, has begun to openly discuss over the past year the fact that the war cannot continue indefinitely. According to Galeotti, these kinds of remarks would not happen without the Kremlin's approval. Europe losing patience European leaders continue to insist they will back Ukraine for as long as it takes. But at the same time, pressure is growing to boost their own countries' public services and defence capabilities. "I believe many mainstream politicians are quietly considering how they could save money on supporting Ukraine," Galeotti said. In the United States, attention has meanwhile turned to the approaching midterm elections. "At the end of the day, Donald Trump cares only about Donald Trump, meaning whatever serves his interests at any given moment," the researcher says. Galeotti said he does not believe a just peace can be achieved in Ukraine. That would require Russians to withdraw from the territories they have occupied. He said the most important thing would be to stop the killing and ensure that Ukraine has a future as an independent country. "The outcome should allow Ukraine to build itself into a prosperous, independent and democratic European state."