Ukraine is “on the path to a fundamental resolution of the war,” but talk of a quick peace is premature, Head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Budanov said during a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“To be frank, we are moving forward. And ‘cautious optimism’ is the term I would use to clearly describe this situation,” he said.
Budanov expressed hope that Ukraine is “on the path to a fundamental resolution of the war.”
“We are moving forward. You can’t say peace is guaranteed tomorrow. If someone says that, it’s definitely not true,” he said.
At the same time, he stressed that “a lot of effort is being made.”
“First and foremost, efforts are being made by us and by the United States. Whether someone likes it or not, there is movement. It truly exists. And we are indeed making progress. Will we be able to succeed in the near term or not? That also depends a lot on the Russian Federation. You understand who we’re dealing with,” Budanov said.
The head of the President’s Office emphasized that Ukraine is directly involved in the negotiation process, so it’s incorrect to say that “Ukraine should have a seat at the negotiating table.”
Speaking about the key conditions for a future peace, Budanov underscored that Ukraine needs a just peace, security guarantees and a clear plan for recovery.
“We are pooling efforts, mobilizing and will see this through. We need a just peace, that’s right. We need security guarantees. We need a plan to rebuild and revive Ukraine. But infighting will not help,” he said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky currently remains in Kyiv, which was hit by a massive Russian attack. A condition for traveling to Davos and meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump is the presence of concrete results.
