**Ukraine’s Ex-Top General Warns War with Russia Could Last Until 2034**
In a stark warning, Ukraine’s former commander-in-chief and current Ambassador to the U.K., Valerii Zaluzhnyi, has predicted that the war between Ukraine and Russia could last until 2034. Speaking in an interview published on July 23, Zaluzhnyi stated that if Ukraine tries to establish a ceasefire without building up its future defenses, the war will drag on for many more years.
The warning comes as Ukraine enters a new phase of the war with Russia, which shifted in 2024 from direct assaults to a war of attrition targeting both Ukraine’s military and civilians. Zaluzhnyi described how Russia has abandoned its previous tactics of using tanks and personnel to launch attacks, instead focusing on wearing down Ukraine’s defenses through prolonged conflict.
**A War of Attrition**
According to Zaluzhnyi, the front line in Ukraine is now primarily focused on killing, with Russian forces targeting both military personnel and civilians. This shift in tactics has significant implications for Ukraine’s defense strategy and approach to mobilization. To prevent Russia from exploiting Ukraine’s demographic and economic vulnerabilities, Kyiv must overhaul its defense strategy and approach to mobilization.
**Peace Talks Stalemate**
Zaluzhnyi’s comments came a day after Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Turkey on July 24 for a third round of peace talks. However, the meeting ended without a breakthrough, with Russia only offering temporary ceasefires to retrieve the wounded and dead. Ukraine has proposed a complete and unconditional ceasefire, which Russia has rejected.
**Russia’s Intentions**
Russian President Vladimir Putin remains intent on continuing the war until the West agrees to terms favorable to Moscow, according to sources close to the Kremlin. Speaking in May, Zaluzhnyi stated that Ukraine can only sustain a “high-tech war of survival,” and the only viable path to victory is dismantling Russia’s military and economic capacity to wage war.
**A Long and Difficult Road Ahead**
Zaluzhnyi’s warning highlights the long and difficult road ahead for Ukraine as it navigates this prolonged conflict. With no clear end in sight, Ukraine must continue to adapt its defense strategy and approach to mobilization to prevent Russia from exploiting its vulnerabilities.
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