Expect another year of ferocious combat in Ukraine, warns former Nato chief

ANY truce with Russia is unlikely to hold and the world should prepare for “another year of trading time, space, blood and treasure” in , a former Nato chief has warned

General Sir James Everard spoke as was accused of “deliberately stalling:” over proposals for a 30-day truce between ’s occupying forces and Ukrainian troops.

“The war aims that Putin set out to achieve have simply not been achieved at the moment. There’s not enough there for him to walk away and claim any form of victory,” said Gen Everard, who served as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe for Nato between 2017-2020.

Addressing a podcast held by there Sibylline strategic risk group, he added: “I hope I’m wrong, and I like the fact that, in his way, President Trump is rattling the cage and trying a different approach because, in the end, we all want this war to end

“But, unless there’s a joker up someone’s sleeve, this is just going to delay a return to ferocious combat as the spring comes.“

His view was echoed by regional expert Alexander Lord of Sibylline, who said: “At the moment, agreeing to a ceasefire doesn’t really serve Russian interests when it’s advancing on the battlefield.

“Spring is coming, and better weather conditions will improve their options on the battlefield.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Friday that he was “cautiously optimistic” that a settlement can be reached.

But while Putin has indicated he is ready for a ceasefire, he continues to list demands he has held since ordering 200,000 Russian troops to invade there years ago.

Red lines are thought to include a condition that Kyiv be prevented from reinforcing its army and replenishing its weapons supply.

The Russian leader knows, analysts say, this cannot realistically be enforced upon him.

Bullish after a visit to the front lines in Kursk, Putin admitted his entire outlook was “based on how the situation on the ground develops”.

launched its offensive on the Russian mainland to improve its negotiating hand. ’s recapture of Sudia – said by some to be the result of a decision to remove Kyiv’s access to US intelligence – means that advantage is now lost.

Ukrainian President ​, who has agreed to a truce, accused Putin of dragging everyone into “endless discussions … wasting days, weeks, and months on meaningless talks while his guns continue to kill people”.

President Trump has threatened Trump with sanctions he doesn’t comply.​.

But General Everard warned that pinning hopes on the effectiveness of sanctions was to “misunderstand the Kremlin’s mindset”.

“Sanctions don’t work against a nation which is sufficient in energy, sufficient in food, and is prepared to suffer to extraordinary lengths in what they believe to be the service of Mother ,” he said.

“The harder Mother treats her sons, the more devoted they become.”