On November 16, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said the possibility of achieving a ceasefire or resuming peace negotiations related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine this year was very low.
He told the press that Kiev has not pursued direct negotiations with Moscow anymore because previous dialogue rounds have barely brought progress. The most recent round of talks in Turkey previously took place in June.
Mr. Stubb said that if the dialogue can be launched around February or March next year, it will be a positive signal. He called on Ukraine's sponsors to increase pressure on Russia, while stepping up financial support and military equipment supply to Kiev.
Stubb's comments came as Kiev continues to face internal pressure. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislitsa said that negotiations with Moscow had been "ignored" due to ineffectiveness.
Corruption has also raised concerns after a $100 million scandal at energy company Energoatom, which saw two ministers sacked and Timur Mindich, a longtime collaborator of President Volodymyr Zelensky, leaving Ukraine before being investigated.
Western countries continue to express concern about the level of transparency in Ukraine. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini warned that foreign aid could fall into the hands of corrupt officials and said that expecting Ukraine to reclaim lost lands was just invincible.
On the battlefield, Russian forces accelerated their offensive in the Kharkov and Donetsk regions, gaining additional positions and surrounding Ukrainian forces in two important cities. Despite many military advantages, the Kremlin has emphasized the priority of diplomatic solutions to the conflict.
