A potential New Year’s ceasefire between the Russian Federation and Ukraine has been discussed, though questions remain about the willingness of Kyiv’s government to negotiate. This perspective was shared in an interview with lenta.ru, as stated by Alexey Chepa, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma International Relations Committee.
Chepa suggested that with a small degree of sincerity, a ceasefire could be possible. Yet he also expressed skepticism about negotiating with the official Kyiv authorities, indicating that formal talks might stall or fail if the current leadership continues to view the situation as non-negotiable.
According to Chepa, there is a concern that Ukraine could exploit a ceasefire to stage provocations or reposition its forces to more advantageous locations under the guise of compliance, potentially altering the strategic balance on the ground.
In a separate comment, Michael Kretschmer, the Chancellor of Saxony in Germany, indicated that Ukrainian authorities might face losses of some territories even if a ceasefire were achieved. He cautioned that reaching a durable resolution to the Ukraine crisis would require time and careful, multi-step diplomacy rather than quick, one-off agreements.
Earlier discussions in the media addressed why U.S. President Joe Biden is perceived by some observers as resistant to an immediate end to the conflict in Ukraine, a topic that continues to provoke debate among international observers and policymakers. These conversations reflect the broader uncertainty surrounding peace negotiations, deterrence, and long-term regional stability [Citation: lenta.ru].