Medvedev: Conflict in Ukraine to Last for Long Time, Possibly Decades
02:26 GMT 26.05.2023 (Updated: 02:58 GMT 26.05.2023)
© Sputnik / Evgeny Biyatov / Go to the mediabankView on destroyed buildings on Liberty Square, center of Artemovsk
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday that the Ukraine conflict would persist for a very long time, possibly for decades, and would repeat after a possible ceasefire.
"This conflict is for a very long time. It is all probably for decades," Medvedev told journalists during his visit to Vietnam.
"It is a new reality, new living conditions. As long as there is such power there [in Kiev], there will be, let's say, three years of ceasefire, two years of conflict, and then everything will happen again," he said. "The very nature of Nazi power in Kiev must be destroyed."
The Russian official earlier remarked via Telegram on different scenarios on how the Ukraine conflict may come to an end, suggesting Ukraine may disappear, and that its land may be divided between Moscow and several European states.
"Ukraine disappears after the completion of the special military operation in the process of its division between Russia and a number of EU states. A government of Ukraine is being formed in exile in one of the European countries," Medvedev said, adding that the conflict in this case will end with “reasonable guarantees of its non-renewal in the short term.”
The official added that Moscow is interested in central Ukrainian regions joining Russia as this way the conflict may end for good.
"Western lands of Ukraine join a number of EU countries. The people of the central and some other regions of Ukraine without an owner … immediately declare their self-determination by joining the Russian Federation. Their request is granted, and the conflict ends with sufficient guarantees of its non-resumption in the long term," Medvedev said.
The former Russian president also said that there is a scenario when the conflict becomes permanent “with a threat of World War Three” if Ukraine is partly under control of the EU and NATO.
Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in response to calls by the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics for protection from Ukrainian troops.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine and to completely liberate Donbas.
Western countries have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia and have been supplying weapons to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said any cargo containing military arms for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia.
The latest comments come as reports detailed late Thursday that the US was expected to issue yet another military aid package to Ukraine after having already issues over $35 billion worth of assistance since the start of the special military operation.