Former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Valerii Zaluzhny has published a major article in which he analyzes the political aims and outcomes of the Russian-Ukrainian war and forecasts its future course.
Zaluzhny emphasizes that Ukraine's main goal is to preserve its statehood, while Russia's objective is not just territorial expansion, but the elimination of the Ukrainian state. According to him, both Ukraine's—dissolution of the Russian Empire—and Russia's—obliteration of Ukraine—strategic goals are unattainable, meaning the war is likely to persist.
This conflict, Zaluzhny says, is a war of attrition, with Russia seeking to make life unbearable for Ukrainians and destroy cities for political purposes. Even if direct fighting ceases, the war could take new forms, including attempts to destabilize Ukraine.
The article also analyzes how, for most Ukrainians, the Russian Empire is equated with the current Russian Federation, although its roots lie in the Soviet Union’s borders of 1991, which Russia seeks to reinstate dominance over.
The preservation or return of Ukraine to Russia’s sphere of influence remains a strategic goal for the Kremlin. However, if Ukraine maintains its independence and integrates with the West, Russia’s imperial ambitions would be crushed, sparking crises within Russia and across the former Soviet space.
After the war, Ukraine will face new challenges, and only joining the EU and NATO will ensure stability, according to Zaluzhny. He notes that the coming decades will demand unity and readiness from the Ukrainian people.
