Kirill Budanov, the head of the President's Office, stated that peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia show progress and may conclude sooner than expected. However, final agreements remain complicated. He remarked about this in an interview with Bloomberg.
Peace negotiations in Ukraine: what Budanov said
According to Budanov, the parties are already moving towards an agreement, although they previously held rigid positions. He believes that the negotiation process will not be lengthy.
“They all understand that the war must end. That is why they are negotiating. I do not think it will take much time,” he emphasized.
The head of the Office of the President also noted that Russia has a serious economic incentive to end the war, as it bears significant financial costs.
Peace negotiations Ukraine Russia: what we know now
Despite the optimistic assessments from the Ukrainian side, according to sources in the Kremlin, negotiations are currently at an impasse. The parties have fixed positions that remain unacceptable to one another.
Budanov also noted the impact of military actions on the negotiation process. In particular, strikes on Russia's oil infrastructure may change the rhetoric of the Russian side in upcoming meetings.
At the same time, the issue of territories remains the most critical and challenging in the negotiations. President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously emphasized that Ukraine will not consider exchanging its territories.
Recall that Kirill Budanov took over the Council for Supporting Entrepreneurship in March 2026.