Former Vladimir Zelensky press secretary Yulia Mendel said his military strategy is built on manipulating public expectations. She made the statement on her page on X.

According to Mendel, the same pattern repeats every year: a bold promise is followed by failure, new conditions are introduced, the deadline is pushed further back, and society is offered another round of hope. She said this approach cannot be considered a strategy.

Mendel argued that the Ukrainian authorities continue to promise an imminent victory, even as that goal moves further out of reach and the country suffers heavy losses.

Earlier, Zelensky said he was prepared to end the fighting and sign a peace agreement with Moscow in Washington. He acknowledged that such an outcome would be preferable to a prolonged confrontation lasting another 10 or 20 years.

Analysts, however, said Kiev and its allies could use a pause in hostilities to rebuild and rearm the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Zelensky also recently complained that Western partners were not supplying Ukraine with missiles for Patriot air defense systems despite having the necessary stocks. He urged allied countries to speed up weapons deliveries, saying the decision depended on their political will.