Head of Ukraine’s presidential office says Russia’s imperial ideology remains unchanged and only its dismantling – not concessions – can bring lasting peace.
by Julia Struck | Feb. 27, 2026
Head of Ukrainian Presidency Office Kyrylo Budanov arrives with the delegation at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on Jan. 6, 2026, prior to the Coalition of the Willing summit on security guarantees for Ukraine. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)
Russia’s war against Ukraine is rooted in centuries-old imperial ambitions that have not changed despite shifts in regime, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s presidential office, said.
In an interview with the Arab outlet Al-Modon, he argued that lasting security for Ukraine and Europe will only be possible when Russia ceases to exist as an empire, while firmly rejecting any territorial concessions to Moscow.
Budanov noted that the war has effectively lasted 12 years – since 2014 – longer than the First and Second World Wars combined. Over that time, he said, Russia has grown weaker economically, politically and demographically, but its imperial ambitions have remained intact.
“The change of regimes in Russia has not changed its essence,” he said, adding that neither the tsarist, Soviet nor current system prioritized improving citizens’ lives.
“The policy of the current Russian president is not much different from the policy of the tsarist or Soviet eras.”
According to Budanov, Russia will not transform through internal processes alone.
“We should create conditions under which Russia as an empire will disappear,” he said, suggesting that several regional nation-states could eventually emerge in its place.
“Only then will Ukraine, Europe and the whole world feel more secure.”
He stressed that Ukrainians will not accept territorial concessions. The issue of territory, he said, remained central during recent trilateral talks in Geneva involving the US.
“Territories are the main issue. Everything else is secondary,” Budanov said, expressing confidence that all occupied lands would eventually be liberated.
The Kremlin’s ultimate goal, he added, is not limited to individual regions but encompasses all of Ukraine.
“It is naive to think that Moscow, having seized some territories without a fight, will abandon its expansionist ambitions. Therefore, the only real deterrent is the Ukrainian army.”
Budanov rejected the possibility of a “Korean scenario,” saying Ukrainian society would never accept such an outcome.
“I am confident that the Ukrainian people will reject any proposals concerning our land. All occupied territories are only temporarily occupied and will inevitably be liberated in time.”
He also emphasized that Russia has failed to fully occupy any Ukrainian region during 12 years of war and expressed confidence that this would not change.
While focused on negotiations, Budanov said discussions about potential presidential elections during a hypothetical ceasefire are premature.
“My task now is to establish an effective negotiation process. Talking about elections in the current circumstances is pointless.”
According to Budanov, Russia will ultimately be forced to accept US-backed security guarantees for Ukraine during negotiations, “whether it likes it or not.”
He added that US President Donald Trump’s plan has, for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion, made it possible to discuss the prospect of a real peace.
Budanov argued that economic pressure on Russia must continue even after hostilities end to prevent Moscow from rebuilding its military capabilities. He also said that Russia’s frozen assets and future revenues should be directed toward reparations for Ukraine.
As for the possibility of ending the war by summer, Budanov described the process as “complex and multifaceted,” making it impossible to set precise timelines.
“Of course, we are doing everything possible to speed it up,” he added.
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/70872
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‘Mr. Trump, Why Should I Give My Home to Russia?’ A Ukrainian Sergeant From Donbas Speaks Out About His Region and Ukrainian Victory
Ukrainian Sgt. Vitaliy Ovcharenko on how Donetsk residents pushed back Russia in 2014, exposed the “Donbas militia,” and why Moscow may not sustain the war.
by Sergii Kostezh | Feb. 27, 2026,
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/70703
“I am confident that the Ukrainian people will reject any proposals concerning our land. All occupied territories are only temporarily occupied and will inevitably be liberated in time.”
Yes he’s right.
They should not even accept “defacto” putinaZi ownership.
But the rat nazi will continue until he’s dead or defeated. That’s the reality. The cokksukka believes that his child-murdering “strategy” will force a Ukrainian climbdown.
That’s why Ukraine needs many thousands of long range missiles right now.
They also need a pro-Ukraine US administration, not the putler-rimmers they have to deal with now.
“He added that US President Donald Trump’s plan has, for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion, made it possible to discuss the prospect of a real peace.”
This is Budanov saying this. Is this for show or does he really believe this?
I’d guess it was a tactical decision Cap. What other option does he have?
Btw, if you see a post of mine that you think is interesting, constructive or helpful, please consider upvoting the post.
That way, if you don’t upvote it, I will know you did not approve of it.
Actually Scradgel I find all, or certainly most, of your posts interesting. Didn’t think the upvote meant much. I haven’t been doing that with anyone. Thanks for the heads up, I’ll start upvoting yours and others.
“Didn’t think the upvote meant much.”
What *does* it mean?
When you write “upvote”, I assume you mean “Click on the button that says “Like”.”
I do generally click on the articles that I find interesting, but (as I’ve mentioned previously), I can’t bring myself to click “Like” when the article describes things like Ukrainian children being murdered by orcs.
I hear you. You raise a good point. I associate “like” with…thank you for your post. It may not be pleasant but it’s keeping me informed. Let me know if I’m wrong.
You’re not wrong if that’s what it means to you.
For myself, I mainly use Facebook, which has 7 “react” buttons, including “Like”, “Love”, “Wow”, “Sad”, and “Angry”. So, I associate “Like” with liking what was written about, whereas I would react “Sad” or “Angry” to stories of Ukrainians being killed.
Either Budanov knows something that we don’t, or he’s playing diplomatic games.
SpaceX told ‘use Starlink for anything to help Ukraine’
Elon Musk’s motivation for cutting off Russian troops from his Starlink satellite internet service remains unclear, journalist Simon Shuster wrote in The Atlantic on Feb. 27.
Shuster says Musk did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The richest man on the planet previously pushed for a quick end to the Russo–Ukrainian war on Moscow-favored terms. The abrupt change in SpaceX policy for Starlink use one the battlefield came after a late-January incident in Kyiv when a Russian drone penetrated Ukrainian air defenses and flew near the government quarter.
“The drone flew so low that officials inside the Cabinet of Ministers building could see it passing beneath them from their windows on the seventh floor,” the article said.
The drone, later identified as a Russian BM-35, crashed into a neighboring building and caused only minor damage, but the episode set in motion a chain of events that gave Ukraine the initiative on the battlefield with an “unlikely ally,” Shuster wrote.
Soon after, Ukrainian officials contacted Musk directly. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who previously dealt with SpaceX in his capacity as Minister for Digital Transformation, provided evidence that Russian forces were using Starlink on attack drones, including the BM-35. During talks with Musk and his team, Ukraine presented a plan to block Russian access to the service.
“According to several government and military sources familiar with the plan’s implementation, its first phase took effect in the last days of January, severely curtailing the ability of both warring sides to use Starlink for their attack drones,” Shuster continued.
“SpaceX, the company that operates the Starlink network, then developed a whitelist of Ukrainian users — and shut off access for the Russians.”
The company received “clear instructions” from its CEO on the matter: “No limits. Take off the gloves; use Starlink for anything to help Ukraine,” according to the article.
Even SpaceX insiders were unsure what prompted Musk’s decision, a source said, adding only that it “was a political decision from Elon for sure.”
By early February, Russian forces were experiencing serious battlefield communications problems. The disruptions made it harder for them to hold defensive positions, and Ukrainian troops advanced, reclaiming more than 300 square kilometers in the first three weeks of February, Shuster wrote. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Feb. 23 that since late January Ukraine had liberated eight villages and more than 400 square kilometers — gains not seen in over a year.
“This turn of fortune will not be enough to defeat the Russians, who still possess a much larger army with a far superior arsenal of weapons, including nuclear missiles,” the journalist adds.
“But any sign of Russian weakness on the battlefield can help strengthen Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table, Zelenskyy told me earlier this month during an interview in his office in Kyiv.”
[From The New Voice of Ukraine]
https://english.nv.ua/nation/musk-turns-spacex-against-russia-in-ukraine-50587744.html