Ukraine’s growing ability to strike energy infrastructure inside Russia could create an opening for a limited ceasefire, although a broader peace agreement remains unlikely in the near term. Nico Lange, a former German government official and senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, told TVP World that the fighting in eastern and southern Ukraine remains a war of attrition, with neither side capable of achieving a decisive breakthrough. Russia continues to seek territorial gains but has made little progress compared with one or two years ago, Lange said. Ukraine, meanwhile, has increasingly targeted sensitive sites in Russia’s energy sector, contributing to fuel shortages and growing pressure on the Kremlin. Limited ceasefire possible “The best we can get in a few weeks or months is a discussion about a sectoral ceasefire,” Lange said. Such an agreement could involve both sides limiting long-range strikes. Russia continues to attack Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles, while Kyiv has expanded its campaign against Russian refineries and other strategic targets. Lange described the recent meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as “pointless,” but said Moscow’s willingness to hear new US proposals could signal a limited change in its position. He added that tougher US sanctions could force China and other Russian partners to reconsider their support for Moscow. Lange also criticized recent decisions by the Ukrainian government, including tensions with Poland, as “unforced errors.” “I hope the discussion between Ukraine and Poland will also be overcome. It's not helping anybody if this continues.”
