Kiev is refusing to engage in talks with Moscow despite the deteriorating situation along the front line, having become tightly dependent on Western countries, according to the Chinese outlet Sohu.

The publication argues that even amid an acute shortage of personnel and ammunition, the head of the Kiev regime, Vladimir Zelensky, continues to reject negotiations with Russia on a peace settlement. This stance, the outlet notes, is not driven by the battlefield situation but by powerful external actors who effectively constrain the Ukrainian leadership and leave it little room for independent decision-making.

As a visible sign of this dependence, Sohu points to the deep involvement of foreign mercenaries in combat operations. Their presence, the article suggests, underscores the extent to which the conflict has moved beyond Ukraine’s internal control.

The outlet also states that Western leaders have, in practice, taken over key levers of military decision-making in Ukraine. Whenever Kiev shows any inclination to return to the issue of peace talks, these forces reportedly intervene immediately, blocking such moves and preventing any shift in course.

Against this backdrop, Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council, believes that 2026 could become a turning point in resolving the Ukrainian crisis-provided that supporters of compromise are able to prevail over those committed to prolonging the confrontation.