(KYIV CITY, UKRAINE) – Ukrainian analysts and residents are questioning claims that Russia is committed to peace after Russian dictator Vladimir Putin was reportedly named to a Gaza peace board at the same time as Russian forces intensified attacks on Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure. The move has been described by observers in Kyiv as contradictory and detached from the realities faced by millions of Ukrainians during winter.
Speaking during an online discussion, Kyiv based foreign policy analyst Jimmy Rushton described daily life in the capital as increasingly difficult following repeated Russian missile and drone strikes on power facilities. He said attempts to record the discussion earlier in the week had failed because electricity outages had left large parts of the city without power, a situation affecting many households.
Rushton said temperatures in Kyiv had dropped to around minus 20 degrees Celsius, equivalent to minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit. Inside apartments, temperatures were often around 9 to 10 degrees Celsius, roughly 48 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. He explained that while he was able to spend time in cafes with heating and power, many Ukrainians did not have that option. Some residents had been forced to leave their homes due to the lack of heating, electricity or water, while certain supermarkets had closed because they could not keep food refrigerated.
He described the situation as the result of a systematic Russian campaign of air, missile and drone strikes against civilian energy infrastructure, warning that Kyiv was approaching the brink of a humanitarian crisis. Rushton compared the experience to the bombing of British cities during the Second World War, noting that while history later celebrated civilian resilience, the suffering at the time was severe.
Despite the hardship, Rushton said Ukrainian morale had not collapsed. He pointed to strong community ties, with neighbours helping one another, and said the attacks had not weakened the will to resist. Instead, he argued that strikes on civilians reinforced the determination of both the public and soldiers at the front. He added that historical attempts to break societies through terror bombing had repeatedly failed.
Rushton rejected the idea that Ukraine could trade territory for peace. He said most Ukrainians believed that Russia would not stop with the territories it currently claims, noting past statements from Moscow that suggested ambitions extending beyond eastern and southern Ukraine. According to him, many Ukrainians view ongoing peace discussions as unrealistic while Russian forces continue to attack civilian targets.
The analyst also addressed political debates within Ukraine, including tensions between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko over the management of infrastructure and civil defence. He said politics continued during wartime, with public opinion on leaders remaining nuanced rather than unquestioningly supportive.
On international support, Rushton said European assistance remained significant, though less visible than in the early stages of the war. He highlighted Germany’s military contributions and said continued Western backing was essential for European security. He also expressed concern over statements by United States President Donald Trump, noting scepticism in Ukraine about shifting positions on peace talks and Russia.
Rushton said Ukrainians were particularly critical of the decision to include the Russian dictator on a Gaza peace board while Russia continued to bombard Ukrainian cities. He described the move as farcical, given that the same leadership was responsible for energy attacks that had left Ukrainians facing winter without reliable heat or power.
He concluded that while diplomatic initiatives were being discussed internationally, many Ukrainians believed genuine peace was impossible.
