Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s 40-day campaign aimed at pressuring Russia to end the ongoing war concluded last week without significant results. The campaign, which involved high-intensity long-range missile attacks, sought to force Russian President Vladimir Putin into accepting Ukraine’s terms. However, Putin remains steadfast, refusing to make concessions.

Following this unsuccessful escalation, Kyiv confronts a stark decision: continue the conflict and endure catastrophic devastation or negotiate peace largely on Moscow’s terms. The Russian response has been consistent and severe, with any Ukrainian escalation met by even greater retaliation.

The campaign was announced just before NATO’s Ankara summit in July and was accompanied by a media effort claiming it was “turning the tide.” This was reportedly intended to influence United States President Donald Trump’s stance on Ukraine.

During the campaign, Zelenskyy reshuffled his cabinet, dismissing Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had led the mid- and long-range missile strikes against Russia. Months prior, Kachka, alongside European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, had drafted a 10-point reform plan to combat misconduct and strengthen the rule of law in Ukraine. However, the Ukrainian parliament, controlled by Zelenskyy, has resisted adopting these reforms, partly due to concerns that they could jeopardize the president and his close associates amid an ongoing anticorruption investigation.

As Kyiv faces a brutal Russian response and dwindling air defense missile stocks, the conflict shows little sign of nearing an end.

Sources