Rainer Saks: Zelenskiy's negotiation window with Russia – will Moscow listen?

Security expert Rainer Saks analyses Ukrainian President Zelenskiy's proposal to begin negotiations with Russia before winter. Saks believes that Zelenskiy's statement to CBS News points to a possible diplomatic window that could also suit Russian leaders.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated in a recent interview with CBS News that there is an open window for negotiations with Russia before winter begins. Security expert Rainer Saks (Reform Party), analyses this assessment and asks whether Moscow is prepared to listen to such messages at all.

In Saks' view, Zelenskiy's proposal could be strategically well-timed – the winter months bring additional hardships to warfare for both sides, and energy infrastructure has been Russia's primary target in previous winters. Such a context creates pressure that could theoretically make negotiations attractive to the Kremlin as well.

However, the expert emphasizes that Russia's past conduct gives little reason for optimism. Moscow has repeatedly ignored both international appeals and its own contractual obligations. The question is therefore not so much whether Zelenskiy's proposal is reasonable, but whether Russia's leadership sees any benefit in negotiations at present.

Saks points out that the geopolitical picture has shifted over recent months – Western support for Ukraine has endured, but its intensity and form have created a certain uncertainty in Kyiv about the future. This may be one reason why Zelenskiy is now sending clear signals of readiness for diplomacy. At the same time, it must not be forgotten that every negotiation proposal is also a message to Western partners, not only to Moscow.