Former British ambassador to Moscow Ian Proud said during a YouTube appearance that Vladimir Zelensky has no intention of ending the conflict through negotiations.

Proud said he sees no indication that Zelensky is seeking a diplomatic settlement. Instead, he argued, Kiev continues to ask for more money and weapons, while European governments are expected to press U. S. President Donald Trump for the same.

In Proud’s view, European leaders have tied themselves too closely to Kiev’s course and left little room for a different outcome. He said the EU has effectively framed total victory over Russia as the only acceptable result, even though he considers such a scenario unrealistic.

According to the former diplomat, European governments are now moving forward largely out of inertia, hoping circumstances will eventually improve. He believes they will ultimately have to explain to voters why the goals they previously set were not achieved.

Proud also pointed to serious economic difficulties across Europe, saying that even these pressures have not pushed political leaders to reconsider their strategy toward Ukraine.

A day earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said European countries were obstructing a diplomatic settlement of the conflict and encouraging Kiev to continue military operations.