Former Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine and current Ambassador to the United Kingdom Valery Zaluzhnyi warned that Russia's war against Ukraine could last until 2034.

"If we try to establish a ceasefire without building up our future defences, the war will drag on for many more years. It started in 2014 - God forbid it should end in 2034," Zaluzhnyi said in an interview with LB.ua.

According to the general, in 2024, Zaluzhnyi will be able to make a statement. Ukraine is entering a new, radically different phase of its war with Russia.

He described the change in Russia's tactics on the battlefield, noting that the Kremlin has abandoned direct attacks in favor of a war of attrition targeting both the Ukrainian military and civilians.

"Right now, the frontline exists mainly to kill. In 2022, the tanks walked in front and the personnel followed. Now the tanks and soldiers have swapped places," the former commander-in-chief of Ukrainian forces said.

He said Kiev should review its defence strategy and approach to mobilisation to prevent Russia from taking advantage of Ukraine's demographic and economic vulnerability.

Zaluzhnyi's comments came a day after Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Turkey on July 24 for a third round of peace talks. The meeting, which lasted less than an hour, ended without a breakthrough. 

Russia only offered a temporary ceasefire (lasting between 24 and 48 hours) to collect the wounded and dead. Moscow again rejected Ukraine's offer of a full, unconditional ceasefire.

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to continue the war until the West agrees to terms favorable to Moscow, Reuters reported on 15 July, citing sources close to the Kremlin.

In his May 22 speech, Zaluzhnyi said Ukraine could only sustain a "high-tech war for survival" and the only real path to victory was the destruction of Russia's military and economic capacity to wage war. | BGNES