Russian President Vladimir Putin refused the proposal for a ceasefire and a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in part because he is in a "parallel reality" on a number of issues.
The Kremlin leader "lives in a parallel reality" regarding the front. Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council, said in a comment to LIGA.net.
According to him, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Valery Gerasimov lies to the dictator and shows him maps that do not correspond to the state of affairs, "so Putin talks about a daily offensive of 'kilometers in the Zaporizhzhia region.'"
"He really believes that he is winning, and this is a parallel reality that does not correspond to reality. However, it affects behavior."
The second reason why the Russian leader refused a ceasefire and a meeting with Zelenskyy, Kovalenko said, is that the dictator still hopes to influence Ukrainian society through missile and drone terror and simultaneously convince the West "to pressure us into Russian terms."
"This is also a parallel reality that does not correspond to reality," the official emphasized.
Also, he noted, for now Putin "cannot imagine life without war" if it ends not as he wants.
"But on his terms, the end of the war is impossible, because further Russia will face cut logistics, continued strikes on the military-industrial complex and economy, strengthening of our strike capabilities, and a situation where even theoretical mobilization will make no sense, because without logistics, troops become living targets, not advancing infantry," the head of the CPD explained.
The last reason for Putin's refusal, he said, is that the dictator "is bargaining for a negotiation track," particularly with Europe, as the issue of its representative in the dialogue with Moscow is currently being resolved.
"And again, (the dictator) will try to play the diplomatic process without stopping the front," Kovalenko said, noting that Putin wants to play such a game with the so-called "collective West."
On Thursday, June 4, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy published an open letter to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. In it, the Ukrainian leader called for a personal meeting and a halt to the war along the current front line.
