Ukraine Envoy Sees War Ending Within Months, Cites Russian Economic Woes

Ukraine's Ambassador to Israel, Yevhen Korniychuk, expressed optimism that the war with Russia could conclude in the coming months, potentially seeing the current winter as the last one fought under active hostilities. He anticipates a ceasefire rather than a full peace agreement being the most likely scenario for ending the conflict. Korniychuk believes a critical factor will be the deteriorating economic situation in Russia, which could diminish its capacity to sustain the war effort.

"I cannot say that I already see the light at the end of the tunnel and the final end of the war. But our leaders believe that it can stop in the coming months and that this will be its last winter," Korniychuk stated, as reported by Ynet.

He also highlighted the recent visit to Ukraine by U.S. administration representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as a factor Kyiv is counting on. While Korniychuk viewed the Kyiv negotiations positively, he cautioned against expecting an immediate breakthrough. He noted this was the first visit by U.S. officials to Ukraine following President Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin, contrasting it with Witkoff's multiple trips to Moscow and several rounds of consultations in Kyiv involving European states.

The ambassador found the U.S. representatives' participation in Kyiv talks significant, linking their visit to a temporary reduction in Russian attacks. Korniychuk suggested that the Trump administration's efforts in the Middle East and the Ukraine conflict are interconnected. He also mentioned Ukrainian strikes on Russian military and oil facilities, asserting they have already hampered aviation operations and exacerbated fuel shortages.

Korniychuk concluded that growing economic difficulties and societal pressure within Russia might push Moscow towards ending the war. However, he also warned that Putin could intensify pressure on Ukraine during the winter by targeting its energy infrastructure.