August M
Claims that Moscow is interested in peace no longer withstand scrutiny.
A Ukrainian lawmaker argues, pointing to Russia’s continued attacks on civilians and energy infrastructure as proof that negotiation rhetoric masks escalation rather than compromise.
No faith in talks
Writing in The Express, Inna Sovsun, a member of Ukraine’s parliament, says Russia treats diplomacy as a tactical instrument, not a path to settlement. According to Sovsun, repeated strikes on civilian infrastructure show that Moscow is not signaling readiness to negotiate, but testing whether broken promises will provoke any real response from the West.
She argues that after years of war, Russia has failed to secure decisive battlefield victories and is instead trying to pressure Ukraine by making civilian life unbearable.
War on daily life
Sovsun uses the situation in Kyiv to illustrate this strategy. With temperatures falling to around minus 25 degrees Celsius, residents face power cuts lasting up to 20 hours a day. When electricity disappears, heating and water often go with it, as many systems rely on pumps and boiler stations.
Even when power briefly returns, homes frequently fail to warm up before the next outage begins. In high-rise buildings, elevators stop working, forcing residents to climb multiple flights of stairs, a particular burden for older people, those with disabilities and families with small children.
Designed exhaustion
According to Sovsun, the unpredictability of outages destroys routine and stability. Electricity may return at night or when people are at work, leaving households constantly adjusting basic tasks around shifting schedules.
She writes that this constant uncertainty wears people down mentally and physically, pushing society into survival mode. In some areas, weeks without heating or water have increased the risk of localized humanitarian crises as cold weather persists.
Holding the system together
Sovsun credits Ukrainian energy workers with repeatedly restoring damaged infrastructure, often under threat of renewed strikes. Community initiatives and “Points of Resilience” allow residents to warm up, charge devices and access the internet, while businesses and neighbors organize practical support.
Still, she stresses that adaptation cannot replace protection.
Pressure, not pauses
The lawmaker argues that physical protection of energy facilities is slow and costly, while air defence systems and a steady supply of interceptors offer the only durable solution by stopping attacks before they land.
For Western leaders, including Donald Trump, Sovsun says the conclusion should be clear: pressure works, not pauses. Sanctions, their enforcement, and stronger military support are, in her view, the only route toward a genuine settlement. Ukraine’s defence, she adds, is inseparable from Europe’s security.
Sources: The Express
