Ukraine Has Two Months to Resume Peace Talks, Otherwise Putin May...

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Strikes on oil refineries have strengthened Putin's resolve to continue the war, Reuters writes, citing three sources close to the Kremlin. Two of them expect Putin to escalate, and one considers it "highly likely" in the coming months. According to one of the interlocutors, Putin…

Ukraine has two months to resume peace talks, otherwise Putin may escalate by announcing general mobilization after the State Duma elections, Czech President Petr Pavel said.

"I believe we have an opportunity to keep increasing the pressure and send Russia a clear signal of readiness to begin negotiations. Parliamentary elections will take place in Russia in September. President Putin is unlikely to announce mobilization before that, but as soon as the elections are over, the window of opportunity will narrow," the retired general and former chairman of the NATO Military Committee noted in an interview with The Telegraph.

In the Czech leader's view, NATO needs to support Ukraine and continue putting pressure on Russia so that it joins peace talks.

"I believe that we must continue to exert strong pressure, give Ukraine everything it needs for a successful defense, and at the same time use every diplomatic skill to convince Russia that it has no other choice but to negotiate... that it can achieve something only through negotiations, and not by losing while continuing the war," he emphasized.