Putin not ready to stop aggression in Donbas - Herbst

Russian President Vladimir Putin still hopes he will be able to make Ukraine lose its sovereignty, therefore he is not ready to stop aggression in Donbas and make peace, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine and Director of the Eurasian Center at the Atlantic Council John Herbst has said in an interview with Ukrinform.
"I have very low expectations [of the Paris negotiations]. Putin continues to think that he could make Ukraine lose its sovereignty. Ukraine will not agree to it. President [Volodymyr] Zelensky will not agree to it," the diplomat said, commenting on the upcoming Normandy Format summit.

He stressed that Putin was not yet ready to make a decent peace and stop aggression in Donbas. According to the expert, this process "will take some time."

Commenting on the Kremlin's possible interests ahead of the Normandy Format summit, Herbst noted that Putin hopes for unjustified compromises from Zelensky. "But it won't happen, I think," the ex-ambassador said.

He also suggested that it would be interesting for Putin to use the summit for a rational understanding of gas exports from Russia. "I don't make that prediction, but at the same time, I don't rule it out," Herbst said.

The expert said that Western sanctions against Russia have a significant impact on the Kremlin.

"Of course, they cost the Russian economy at least one percent of GDP a year, and they are increasingly reducing Russia's standard of living. Of course, Putin would like sanctions to be eased," Herbst said.

The leaders of the Normandy Four countries – Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany – are due to meet in Paris on December 9.