Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov said that the cessation of hostilities before winter is a realistic goal set by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, he noted the need to prepare for a possible offensive from the territory of Belarus.
RBC-Ukraine reports on this, citing sources in the authorities and military leadership, according to Dengi.ua.
Why Budanov Considers a Cessation of Hostilities Before Winter Realistic
The Head of the OP, Kyrylo Budanov, commented on the prospects of ending hostilities in Ukraine before winter.According to him, this is the explicit objective set by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"As Head of the Office of the President, I will definitely do everything to achieve the goal set by the President of Ukraine. In my opinion, it is absolutely correct, timely, well-thought-out, and realistic," Budanov said.
According to him, there are already tangible signs that the groundwork for a cessation of hostilities exists. However, the Head of the OP did not disclose specific details about what exactly constitutes this groundwork.
Whether a New Russian Offensive from the Territory of Belarus is Possible
Another topic commented on by Budanov was the threat of a renewed Russian offensive from the territory of Belarus. According to the Head of the OP, the primary condition for preventing such a scenario is Ukraine's strength and readiness.
"We must be strong and ready for anything. Then no one will have foolish thoughts in their heads. This is the first thing I will tell you," Budanov stated.
In his opinion, no additional assistance in this matter would be superfluous:
"Do we need help from anyone to rule out the very possibility of any provocation? It will never be superfluous," the Head of the Presidential Office emphasized.
Budanov also expressed hope that Ukraine will be able to take the necessary steps to eliminate the very idea of using Belarusian territory again for armed aggression against Ukraine.