Former member of the Russian State Duma Ilya Ponomarev sees a favorable moment for the end of war in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, as Russia's elite is tired of sanctions while the compromises Ukraine can make are acceptable to it.
Read alsoNo need to amend Constitution to reach settlement in Donbas, Zelensky tells Putin
"In my opinion, it is a favorable moment now. Fatigue from sanctions is growing in Russia, the Russian elite wants to do something one way or the other," Ponomarev said in an interview for Ukraine's Segodnya newspaper.
He says it is necessary to conduct backstage negotiations if there is a desire to restore peace.
"Let me say again – I think there is a solution, there are such compromises that would let [Russian President Vladimir] Putin withdraw from Donbas, while being acceptable to Ukraine," he said.
He emphasized the devil is in the detail that cannot be missed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier said that his major goal for Donbas is the end of war there. The Ukrainian leader said then: "I want to hope that in a year we won't have that war."
