Peace between Ukraine and Russia seems more distant than ever. The Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, Andrii Melnyk, stated that he sees no possibility of reconciliation with Moscow—not only in the coming years but perhaps not even within the coming decades or even centuries. At the same time, negotiations involving the US have frozen, with Washington now admitting that the talks are not producing any substantive results.
Analysts estimate that this deadlock is no coincidence: powerful political and economic interests, both in Kyiv and in the West, are allegedly investing in the continuation of the war. The Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, Andrii Melnyk, stated that reconciliation between his country and Russia is impossible, arguing that Kyiv is ready to continue the conflict for decades—even for centuries. Analysts who spoke to NEWS.ru estimate that both the Ukrainian authorities and powerful Western structures have a vested interest in the prolongation of hostilities. The question is what they are aiming for—and whether peace can ultimately be imposed on Ukraine.
What Melnyk said about peace with Russia
At an emergency session of the UN Security Council, convened by Moscow following the attack by Ukrainian forces on a college in Starobilsk in the LPR, the Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, invited his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Melnyk, to visit Russia. The Russian diplomat implied that Melnyk would be unlikely to accept such an invitation. The Ukrainian representative, for his part, responded negatively. He stated that he has no intention of visiting Russia, even after the end of the Ukrainian conflict.
According to him, there will be no peace between the two countries "for decades, and perhaps even for centuries." Sociologist Igor Kuznetsov, in an interview with NEWS.ru, described this rhetoric as expected. "The Ukrainian elites do not want to make peace, precisely because their country was built from the start as an alternative 'anti-Russian' project. As long as Russia exists, Ukraine as a state will have no peace," he argued.
According to the analyst, Ukrainians have been shaped politically and ideologically through the perception that they are a separate nation with a mission to defend their country within the 1991 borders. "You are not Russian, you are not Greek, you are not Jewish, you are Ukrainian. This means you must fight for Ukraine, at least within the 1991 borders. This is the message the Ukrainian government is sending today, which is why it does not want dialogue," said Kuznetsov.
Budanov and "true Russia": The ideological dimension of the conflict
The same approach, according to the article, is reinforced by a recent statement by the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Kyrylo Budanov, who allegedly argued that Ukraine has the right to "govern" Russia, as it considers itself the "true Russia." Kuznetsov estimates that if one follows this logic, there can be no peace between the two sides. "Following Budanov's logic, there cannot be peace with Russia by definition as long as Ukraine exists. After all, if Ukraine 'must govern' Russia, then Russia must be fought as long as it exists," he noted.
Why Russia-Ukraine negotiations reached a deadlock
A little over a year ago, direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv to resolve the Ukrainian conflict restarted after a pause of over three years. Three rounds of meetings were held in Istanbul, which led to agreements on large-scale prisoner exchanges, as well as the initiation of discussions on memorandums that would reflect each side's vision for the settlement process. In early 2026, new rounds of dialogue took place with the participation of the US. However, the talks have now been suspended.
Recently, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington is ready to participate in discussions between Russia and Ukraine but is not interested in "endless meetings" that do not lead to a result. Instead, as he said, the American authorities support a constructive and productive dialogue. Political scientist and member of the Presidential Council for Human Rights, Bogdan Bezpalko, told NEWS.ru that the problem is much deeper and is linked to the interests of powerful Western structures in the continuation of the war.
"The American and European military-industrial complexes, the officials who secure them orders for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but also Elon Musk's startups—very serious and powerful people have an interest in the fighting. That is why, for example, Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth recently flew to Kyiv, despite the peace initiatives of President Donald Trump," he argued.
Can Ukraine be brought to the negotiating table?
On the night of May 24, the Russian Armed Forces launched retaliatory strikes against Ukraine, using the Oreshnik system, in response to the Ukrainian attack on Starobilsk. After the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Kyiv's foreign partners to intensify their efforts to find solutions that could lead to an end to the conflict. However, Bezpalko estimates that the Ukrainian government has no real interest in peace. "First and foremost, the conflict is a way for the Ukrainian elite to remain in power. If peace is achieved, neither President Volodymyr Zelensky, nor Budanov, nor even Melnyk will remain in their positions—and they know that," he said. According to him, the harsh statements of Ukrainian politicians and diplomats toward Russia are aimed at encouraging both internal and external supporters of continuing military operations. "They are showing them: look, we are not giving up. They cannot say anything else," he added.
800 billion for reconstruction, 90 billion for war
Another important factor, according to Bezpalko, is that the conflict has turned into a mechanism for economic survival and enrichment for Kyiv's political elite. The Ukrainian authorities need constant foreign military aid, which—according to the analyst—makes peace with Russia unaffordable for the current regime. "The 'prosperity for Ukraine' project, worth $800 billion, found no support from Kyiv's partners. Instead, the Europeans are providing 90 billion euros for the war. This means that statements must be warmongering and the war itself must continue. Otherwise, how will the Kyiv regime survive?" he asked.
Ukrainians as hostages of Kyiv's policy
According to Kuznetsov, ordinary Ukrainians—at least those who did not manage to flee to the West—have been turned into hostages of the policy followed by Kyiv. "They invented an alternative history for them, a national identity, they spoke to them about a 'great Ukraine,' including Crimea and the Donbass, even though these are historically Russian lands, and they sent them to fight," argued the sociologist. Both Kuznetsov and Bezpalko estimate that even if peace is achieved, as long as the Ukrainian state maintains its current ideological direction, sooner or later it will be led again into conflict with Russia—with the support of the West. "In its current form, the Ukrainian state cannot be different. Therefore, it must be freed from it," concluded Kuznetsov.
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