-924c3c302c27387e19f6c44aaeb98745.png "Maryna Kulakova")
Nikolai Patrushev, aide to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, has claimed that Ukraine will “cease to exist” by 2025.
He made this statement during an interview with the Russian state-backed outlet Komsomolskaya Pravda.
“Speaking about Ukraine’s prospects, by 2025, it may cease to exist altogether,” Patrushev said.
Patrushev went on to describe the Ukrainian people as “close, brotherly, and bound to Russia by centuries-old ties.”
Putin’s aide reiterated Moscow’s stance that any negotiations over Ukraine’s future should involve only Russia and the United States.
“If we talk about the specific prospects for further developments considering the Trump factor, we respect his statements. I believe that negotiations regarding Ukraine should be conducted between Russia and the United States, without the involvement of other Western countries,” he said.
“There is nothing to discuss with the UK, Belgium, or any other countries,” Patrushev added.
US President-elect Donald Trump confirmed plans for a potential meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Trump stated, “He wants to meet, and we are setting it up,” while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the intention but noted that formal requests had not yet been made.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow is ready to discuss security guarantees “for the country currently called Ukraine.” He emphasized that resolving the situation requires addressing broader issues within a Eurasian framework.
