Media: European intelligence chiefs doubt end to Russia's war against Ukraine possible this year
European intelligence chiefs are pessimistic about the chances of a deal to end Russia's war against Ukraine being reached this year.
As reported by Reuters, despite claims by US President Donald Trump that Washington-mediated talks have brought the prospect of an agreement closer, the senior intelligence officials said Russia is unwilling to end the war quickly.
Four of them said Moscow is using negotiations with the US to seek the lifting of sanctions and the conclusion of business deals.
The talks, the latest round of which took place in Geneva this week, are "negotiation theatre", one official said.
Reuters notes that these remarks point to a striking difference in views between European capitals and the White House, which, Ukraine says, wants to conclude a peace agreement by June, ahead of the US midterm congressional elections in November.
Trump said he believes Russian ruler Vladimir Putin wants to reach a deal.
"Russia is not seeking a peace agreement. They are seeking their strategic goals, and those have not changed," one European intelligence chief said.
Those goals include removing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and turning Ukraine into a "neutral" buffer to the West.
The main problem, another intelligence chief said, is that Russia neither wants nor needs a quick peace, and its economy is "not on the verge of collapse".
Although the intelligence chiefs did not disclose how they obtained their information, their services use human sources, intercepted communications and various other means. All said they regard Russia as a priority target for intelligence gathering.
The second intelligence chief said Russia might be satisfied with territorial gains if it captures the remainder of Donetsk Oblast, but that would not allow it to achieve its objective of toppling Zelenskyy's pro-Western government.
The third intelligence chief said there is a mistaken belief that Ukraine ceding Donetsk would quickly lead to a peace agreement.
The spy chief also said he is concerned about the "very limited" level of negotiation skills with Russia in Western Europe, including on the European side, which Zelenskyy believes should play an active role in the talks.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he has little hope for a rapid end to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said there is some progress in the military area of negotiations following trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia in Geneva on 17-18 February.
Axios journalist Barak Ravid reported that the Geneva talks had "got stuck", adding that the reason was the positions presented by Russia's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky.
It was also reported that the Russian delegation called the Geneva talks "very tense".