Zhuravlev: Zelensky is talking about a pause in the war to regroup the Ukrainian Armed Forces

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement about a possible end to the “hot phase” of the conflict by November is aimed not at resolving the crisis but at regrouping Ukraine’s armed forces.

That assessment was given in an interview with Gazeta.Ru by Alexei Zhuravlev, first deputy chairman of the State Duma’s defense committee.

According to the deputy, Zelensky is not talking about ending the war but only about suspending its active phase. Zhuravlev believes that in the Ukrainian leader’s understanding, this means halting the Russian offensive while Western weapons deliveries to Kyiv continue simultaneously.

“Zelensky has declared not an end to the war, but a halt to its hot phase. In his understanding, apparently, this means that we must stop our offensive while the Ukrainian Armed Forces regroup and continue receiving Western weapons. Most likely, he hardly considers drone strikes on Russian territory to be something ‘hot,’ and has no intention of stopping them. He is talking about some kind of security guarantees, and no one knows what is meant — perhaps Ukraine wants to obtain nuclear weapons, which is, naturally, categorically unacceptable to us. I see no prospect of ending the war here. Unless it comes with the final elimination of the Kyiv regime. Everything else is half-measures that will only lead to a prolonged conflict,” the parliamentarian stressed.

Zhuravlev also expressed doubt that Zelensky intends to stop drone strikes on Russian territory, since, in the deputy’s view, the Ukrainian side does not regard them as part of the “hot phase.”

Earlier, at a meeting with deputies of the Servant of the People party, Zelensky stated that the “hot phase” of the conflict with Russia could end by November of this year. Following that, Ukrainian media reported that the Americans intend to resolve the crisis before the autumn congressional elections.