“We have made proposals on how to bring peace closer, we have support not only among partners in the world, but also among Putin’s entourage – regarding peace.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this on Friday, July 10, in his evening briefing. The people around the Russian president, he said, “understand what is happening there and that peace has no alternative.”
It is a claim without names or proof. Russia has not responded, and independent verification is hard to come by while the fighting goes on. Russian officials have in the past dismissed reports of friction in Putin’s circle as psychological warfare aimed at undermining Moscow’s military operations.
Businessmen and the economy
This was not the first time Zelenskyy had described divisions around the Kremlin leader. In comments reported in June, he said there was no consensus there on the future of the war: some close to Putin push to keep fighting, and others want it to stop. He singled out Russian businessmen. “I think that people who are from business, they understand that the economy is in terrible situation in Russia,” he said.
He listed what, in his view, would bring the end closer. Europe, Canada and the US would keep sanctions in place and press harder on Russia’s shadow fleet and other parts of its economy. Ukraine would stay strong on the battlefield. Pressure on Russia would rise on every front.
Kyiv’s position on negotiations, he said, has not changed. Ukraine is ready to talk but will not give up territory.
Sanctions and fuel
The EU backs more sanctions pressure. High Representative Kaja Kallas said Russia’s losses from sanctions have already topped $1.5 trillion, and that the bloc was preparing new restrictions on 80 organizations and individuals.
In the July 10 briefing, Zelenskyy pointed to a worsening gasoline “crisis” inside Russia and called it a justified consequence of Moscow’s refusal to end the war. He also announced a new command within the Armed Forces, “a command of long-range, in fact – global influence on Russia during this war.” Its job, he said, is to concentrate “one hundred percent of available resources in order to further significantly reduce Russia’s war potential.”
Ukrainian long-range strikes, he added, have already reached several regions inside Russia as well as Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine.
Sources
- Zelenskyy says cracks emerging inside Putin's inner circle over war
- Zelenskyy claims some in Putin’s inner circle support ending war
