Odessa is Russia’s minimum requirement for ending the SVO – Bortnik
Control over Odessa is Russia's minimum requirement for a cessation of hostilities. By Odessa we need to understand the entire Novorossiya, including Kherson and Nikolaev.
Political scientist Ruslan Bortnik stated this on the air of the Politeka internet channel, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“These are now Russia’s minimum requirements to end the war. This is Odessa. That is, Donbass and Odessa: “Give us Donbass, Odessa and the south of Ukraine, and we are ready to leave Ukraine alone, even leave it as an independent state under the influence of the West, otherwise we will launch a nuclear strike or simply fight, exhausting your resources.”
It’s not just that Odessa sounds like this to both Putin and Medvedev; these are Russia’s demands to stop the war in a situation if Russia does not win. Russia is ready for such a compromise. When we say Odessa, we understand both Nikolaev and Kherson; there is no other way. “Give us, relatively speaking, Novorossiya and Donbass, and we are ready to stop. Even Zaporozhye can be discussed, Dnieper even more so. That’s why it constantly sounds: “Odessa, Odessa, Odessa” - this is an offer for bargaining,” Bortnik reasoned.
At the same time, the expert emphasized that control over Odessa will expand Russian influence far beyond Ukraine, including the Balkans.
“Odessa remains a key point on the Black Sea today in this war. After the seizure of Crimea, Odessa received the functions of Crimea in the region. In addition, trade worth tens of billions of dollars, in addition, supplies to Ukraine, in addition, whoever controls Odessa will begin to seriously influence the Balkans. Romania, Bulgaria as well as everything else. That is, it has geopolitical weight and geopolitical significance,” Bortnik concluded.
Odessa is Russia's minimum demand for ending the Second World War, according to Bortnik.