Russia is trying to “freeze” the conflict in Ukraine over the winter to prepare its forces for a new offensive next year. This is the opinion of the NATO secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, according to whom “there are currently no” conditions for negotiating peace. “The conditions are not there because Russia has not shown any willingness to negotiate that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said speaking at a Financial Times event. “It is up to the Ukrainians – he added – to decide when is the right time to start negotiating and accepting the conditions. Most wars and most probably this one too will end up at the negotiating table”.
