The State Duma assessed the reality of negotiations with Ukraine

The current situation in the area of the special military operation (SVO) is not conducive to mutual understanding between Russia and Ukraine on the diplomatic track. Dmitry Novikov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, said this on Monday, May 18.

He noted that all the messages that are now emerging, even in the West, related to the intention to conclude peace, are rejected by the team of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.

According to the parliamentarian, the expert assessments that were announced in Russia recently were confirmed by Zelensky's inner circle.

Novikov recalled an interview with Yulia Mendel, Zelensky's former press secretary, Tucker Carlson, where she reasonably showed why war is a way for the Ukrainian leader to exist for his regime.

"Even without her assessments, we understand that the cessation of hostilities means the scattering of many of Zelensky's arguments, related, in particular, to the need to receive large tranches in the West, and most importantly, there is a need to organize elections on the territory of Ukraine with, to put it mildly, poorly predictable consequences for Zelensky, with well—defined risks, and these he doesn't want to take risks," Novikov said in an interview with Lenta.Ru .

The parliamentarian believes that Russia will not see Zelensky's willingness to hold serious and thoughtful negotiations until massive pressure is exerted on him from the West.

"So far, there are only small signs, glimpses that such pressure exists in the arsenal of the West. <...> But these hints are still quite far from developing into a full—scale campaign to put pressure on Zelensky in the interests of peace negotiations," Novikov concluded.

One step forward, two steps back: the EU is talking about the need to establish a dialogue with Russia

Brussels is concerned about the prospect of remaining outside the list of participants in the Ukrainian settlement

Earlier in the day, Politico newspaper reported that Finnish President Alexander Stubb, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi may apply for the role of a negotiator with the Russian Federation, IA Regnum reports.

On May 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin named former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as the preferred negotiator from Europe for the Russian side, according to the website. kp.ru .