Zaluzhnyi: Russia-Ukraine war could last until 2034
Ukraine’s former top general and current Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, has issued a stark warning: Russia’s war against Ukraine could continue until 2034 unless Kyiv significantly strengthens its defense and mobilization efforts.
“It began in 2014 — God willing, it will end in 2034,” Zaluzhnyi said, News.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.
“If we try to establish a ceasefire without building up our future defenses, the war will drag on for many more years.”
According to Zaluzhnyi, the conflict entered a radically different phase in 2024. Russia has shifted away from large-scale assaults and is now pursuing a war of attrition — aiming to exhaust Ukraine’s military capabilities and demoralize its civilian population.
“Right now, the front line exists mainly for killing,” he said.
“In 2022, tanks rode in front, and personnel followed them... Now, tanks and soldiers have switched places.”
Zaluzhnyi emphasized that Ukraine must rethink its defense doctrine, particularly in light of Russia's ability to exploit Ukraine's economic and demographic vulnerabilities. Without a more adaptive and modern military posture, he warns, Ukraine risks being outlasted in a grinding, long-term conflict.
His remarks come at a time when diplomatic efforts remain stalled. On July 24, Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Türkiye for a third round of peace talks. The meeting — which lasted less than an hour — ended without progress. Moscow reportedly offered only brief 24–48-hour ceasefires to retrieve casualties, while continuing to reject Kyiv’s call for a full, unconditional ceasefire.
President Vladimir Putin is unwilling to end the war unless Western nations accept peace terms favorable to Russia.
In a previous statement on May 22, Zaluzhnyi underscored that Ukraine’s only viable path to victory lies in sustaining a high-tech defense strategy and gradually dismantling Russia’s capacity to wage war — both militarily and economically.
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