Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aide Nikolai Patrushev warned in an interview published on Tuesday that Ukraine may “cease to exist” in 2025.Patrushev, who previously served as secretary of Russia’s Security Council, made the comment while speaking with the pro-Kremlin newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda about his thoughts on President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming second term.Why It MattersWhile President Joe Biden has been a huge ally to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his fight against Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that began nearly three years ago, it’s unclear how Trump plans to handle the Russia-Ukraine war after he is inaugurated on January 20.However, Trump has said that if he were at the negotiating table with Putin and Zelensky, the war would end “within 24 hours.”What To KnowWhile speaking with Komsomolskaya Pravda, Patrushev acknowledged that “a significant part of the world still looks to America” but added that “the American elite itself is divided.”After stating that Trump’s policies toward other nations remain “unclear,” Patrushev was critical of Biden’s administration.
Kremlin adviser Nikolai Patrushev (L) looks at President Vladimir Putin during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 26, 2015. In a recent interview, Patrushev said Ukraine could “cease to exist” in 2025….
Kremlin adviser Nikolai Patrushev (L) looks at President Vladimir Putin during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 26, 2015. In a recent interview, Patrushev said Ukraine could “cease to exist” in 2025.
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Patrushev Says Ukraine May “Cease To Exist”When answering a question about possible territorial concessions during peace negotiations under Trump, Patrushev made his prediction about Ukraine no longer being a sovereign state by the end of the year.He first emphasized that Russians feel a “fraternal” bond with Ukrainians due to “centuries-old ties with Russia” before saying “violent coercion into neo-Nazi ideology and rampant Russophobia” are to be blamed for the destruction of cities in Ukraine.”It is possible that in the coming year Ukraine will cease to exist altogether,” Patrushev said.Newsweek reached out to the Kremlin and the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs via email on Tuesday evening.Patrushev Makes Similar Prediction About MoldovaElsewhere in the interview, Patrushev criticized the leaders of Moldova in Chișinău for what he called their “anti-Russian policy” and said Moldova too might no longer be a country.”I do not rule out that Chișinău’s aggressive anti-Russian policy will result in Moldova either becoming part of another state or ceasing to exist altogether,” he said.What People Are SayingMaria Drutska, whose X (formerly Twitter) account states that she works in the Ukrainian foreign affairs sector, wrote on X: “Weren’t we supposed to stop existing three years ago in just three days or weeks? What’s going on with your calendars over there?”Moldova’s Foreign Ministry responded to Patrushev’s comments about their country in a statement published by Moldovan news outlet NewsMaker: “Such statements constitute unacceptable interference in our country’s internal affairs and are aimed at destabilizing the region. The Republic of Moldova is a sovereign state that is consistently pursuing the path of democracy and European integration in line with the will of its citizens.”What Happens NextUkrainian officials have yet to publicly respond to Patrushev’s comments.
