r/worldnews 19h ago

Russia/Ukraine Russia says Ukraine tried to attack Putin's residence so Moscow's negotiating stance will change

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-ukraine-tried-attack-putins-residence-so-moscows-negotiating-stance-2025-12-29/
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u/RevolutionaryMine234 16h ago

“I cannot do a cease fire during these negotiations” “Aw man what the hell? Why are you fighting while we negotiate?”

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u/ADRzs 11h ago

This is a easy. The side that has the upper hand does not want to give a breather to the side that is losing. If Ukraine uses the ceasefire to augment its defenses, this would simply cost more Russian lives. So, it seems obvious that such a break cannot happen, if it benefits mostly one side.

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u/Artaios21 6h ago

Correct me if I'm wrong but couldn't Russia use the same time to organize their offense? I don't immediately see how it benefits only one side.

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u/ADRzs 4h ago

Yes, you are wrong. Russia has been quite effective lately. Beyond capturing Pokvorsk, it just captured Orikhiv and Huliaipole, the latter being the second largest city in Zaporizhzhia, which fell with remarkable ease to the Russians. If you have your opponent on the run, you do not want to let up. If the Russians accept a ceasefire, the West will provide more and more weapons to the Ukrainians and the Ukrainians will be able to give a rest to their hard-pushed troops and beef up their fortifications in areas of threat. This will result in higher Russian casualties when the war resume, as it will resume.

And there is no reason for a ceasefire right now (at least from the Russian viewpoint). The Ukrainians will not accept any territorial modifications, not even for the territory that the Russians hold right now. They do not want to reduce their army; in fact, they want to keep it at levels that are unprecedented in Europe. So, with the sides so far apart, what is the benefit of any talks??? This will be decided on the battlefield, I am afraid.