Zaluzhnyi: It is almost impossible to exit the prolonged war state with Russia.

Ukraine will not be able to exit the 'prolonged' war state with Russia - Valerii Zaluzhnyi

Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the current ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom, stated that exiting the 'prolonged' war state with Russia is 'almost impossible'.

This was reported by Kyiv Independent referring to Zaluzhnyi's speech at Chatham House on October 17.

As a result, we found ourselves in a prolonged war state. In my personal opinion, an exit from this prolonged war seems... almost impossible - he said.

The former commander-in-chief warned that the full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine is transitioning into a 'positional' phase characterized by 'static and exhausting battles', which will allow Russia to restore its military power.

Throughout 2024, Ukraine faces a challenging situation in defending the frontline, especially in the Donetsk region, where Russia constantly concentrates its offensive potential. After Ukraine's withdrawal from Vuhledar in early October, Russian forces focused their efforts on the Donetsk cities of Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and Kurakhove, where Ukrainian troops, who are fewer and less well-equipped, are slowly losing positions under Russian pressure.

Zaluzhnyi also commented on the Ukrainian Victory Plan and the Kursk operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to him, conducting the operation in the Kursk region demonstrated that Ukraine 'remains the most active actor in the development of military science'. He called the Victory Plan 'absolutely logical and correct', noting that it concerns not only Ukraine but also other countries interested in ending the war.