The options of Zelensky regarding the prospects of war ‘range from bad to worse’ — The Washington Post

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s options regarding what to do with the war “range from bad to worse.” Ukrainian and Western officials believe he is largely “stuck,” and solidarity within Ukraine is weakening.

This is reported by The Washington Post.

The return of territories by military means “seems increasingly unlikely.”

“The status quo is terrible. Currently, the fight has reached an impasse, and Ukrainians are dying on the battlefield every day,” the article says.

A high-ranking Ukrainian official said, “Everyone wants quick solutions, but everyone has come to the understanding that there will be no quick solutions.”

In Ukraine, the return to the borders of 1991 is considered “unrealistic.”

“Smart people know that this is unrealistic,” said a Ukrainian legislator, adding that the political leadership “at some point needed to adjust this rhetoric.”

Attempts to rectify the situation on the front line are currently in question. Measures to strengthen mobilization “have divided society.”

“Ukraine does not have the strength for a new offensive,” said a Western diplomat. In his opinion, there are two scenarios.

“One scenario is that they receive support to maintain defensive positions. In the second scenario, the support will be insufficient, and Ukraine will still defend itself, desperately and with fewer human resources,” he said.

But in this case, casualties and territorial losses will increase, “which will deadlock Ukraine.”

Currently, Ukraine and its partners should prepare for 2025 as “another year of war, not peaceful negotiations,” said the diplomat.

In Ukraine itself, opinions on how much longer the war can last have diverged.

“A Ukrainian legislator stated that the country will not survive such a status quo for another ten years. Others, however, believe that the struggle could continue even longer,” the article says.

“It’s an unpleasant thought, but when some people say it could take decades, no one disputes that,” said former Minister of Economy Timofey Milovanov.