Budanov: strikes on Russia's oil terminals are changing the course of negotiations

The Head of the President’s Office, Kyrylo Budanov, said during the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities that strikes on Russian oil terminals are affecting the course of peace negotiations, and at the next rounds Ukraine may hear many new things from Russia.

Speaking at the Congress venue, Budanov emphasized that such operations strengthen Ukraine’s negotiating positions and do not provide grounds to consider them weak.

He thus replied to a question about the direct effect of such strikes:

They (strikes on Russian oil terminals) definitely have an impact. That’s obvious

At the same time, the official noted that whether this pressure leads to a correction of Moscow’s approaches remains a matter of debate.

At the next talks with them, I think we will hear many new things. In any case this significantly strengthens our position and does not make it, as they say, weak. We must do everything to strengthen our winning position. And any means to achieve this goal are justified and right

Earlier, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said there had been tangible progress in talks between Russia and Ukraine on ending the war, emphasizing that the parties’ positions are converging.

Earlier we wrote:

• Zelensky warns of a bad feeling about peace talks with Russia
• Russia is forced to accept security guarantees for Ukraine from the US
• Talks on ending the war have entered a real harsh phase, – Vitaliy Kim
• Budanov: A ceasefire with Russia is possible by the end of the year — the US is ready to provide more air defense
• First peace, then sanctions: the US is engaging in cautious diplomacy