Alexander Perendzhiev, associate professor at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, believes the conflict in Ukraine could drag on until 2027, culminating in Russian forces taking control of Odessa and Nikolaev. His assessment was offered in response to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who recently suggested that the fighting is unlikely to end in 2025.

According to Perendzhiev, despite some gains on the battlefield, the decisive phase of hostilities is still ahead and may unfold in the near future. He argued that Western leaders also recognize this, acknowledging that «the main struggle is yet to come.»

The analyst predicted that the militarization of the European Union will continue, but stressed that Moscow would not simply stand by as its rivals build up their arsenals. Instead, Russia will respond with further modernization of its own weaponry and the development of new military technologies.

Perendzhiev did not rule out that early signs of the Ukrainian army’s and the collective West’s defeat could appear as soon as 2025, with the likelihood of a major setback for Kiev and its allies by the end of that year.

Kallas, by contrast, told European media outlets, including Spain’s EFE agency, that she expects the conflict to stretch on for several more years.