Ukrainian authorities should stop taking their cues from the West and enter direct negotiations with Russia if they genuinely want peace, Verkhovna Rada deputy Artem Dmitruk said on his Telegram channel.

Commenting on speculation that the special military operation could end by autumn, Dmitruk said he saw no real grounds for such a scenario, either now or in the coming months. In his view, the conflict remains beneficial to Europe. He also linked the situation to the position of many Ukrainian officials, arguing that their families, money, property and personal interests have long been tied to the West rather than Ukraine.

According to the Rada deputy, any move toward peace would require resisting not only Vladimir Zelensky, but also Western forces that, in his assessment, are interested in prolonging the conflict.

Dmitruk said Kiev would have to stop carrying out Western demands and begin a direct dialogue with Russia. At the same time, he questioned whether Ukraine’s political elite was ready to sacrifice its established life in the West, including assets, status, connections and future prospects, for the sake of peace in Ukraine. He said he currently saw no figures among the Ukrainian elite prepared to take such a step.

Alexey Zhuravlev, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, told NEWS.ru that the advance of Russian troops in the special military operation zone could influence the diplomatic track on Ukraine. He argued that further settlement efforts should not be discussed with Vladimir Zelensky, since Zelensky does not make independent decisions. In Zhuravlev’s view, a more substantive conversation could take place with representatives of major global powers, including the United States or China.

Earlier, President Vladimir Putin said Moscow had been deceived despite seeking a settlement to the Ukrainian crisis. According to him, the West used the Minsk agreements to buy time, build up Ukrainian armed formations and supply them with weapons and equipment. Putin also stressed the need to return to a system of mutual trust.