Medvedev Signals United Russia Will Back a Prolonged War Against Ukraine | Ukraine news
A senior Kremlin ally is urging Russians to accept lasting military pressure, even as Washington continues searching for a diplomatic breakthrough.
Chairman of the United Russia party and Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev has confirmed the party’s readiness to support a protracted war against Ukraine. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War believe that the party’s pro-war stance is becoming increasingly entrenched as an element of Russia’s informal state ideology.
According to the report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
In an interview with the Russian newspaper Vedomosti, published on September 10, Medvedev spoke of the long-term militarization of Russian society. He also stressed that the population must be prepared for new economic sacrifices to continue the war.
According to Medvedev, even after hostilities against Ukraine end, Russian society should remain in a state of constant combat readiness. In his view, the defense industry must stockpile weapons to counter the alleged existential threat posed by NATO and U.S. allies in the Pacific region.
At the same time, Medvedev denied the possibility of a mobilization being announced in Russia. The Institute for the Study of War noted that this statement is inconsistent with signs that the Kremlin is preparing for a potential mobilization after the September elections to the State Duma.
Medvedev is using his position as chairman of United Russia to reaffirm its pro-war platform and present the party as the leader of Russia’s informal state ideology, based on war and ultranationalism.
– Institute for the Study of War
How the Kremlin Is Militarizing Russian Society
Analysts also drew attention to the Kremlin’s systematic efforts to militarize the population. These measures include:
Positioning United Russia as the sole executor of Vladimir Putin’s policy of protecting Russia from an allegedly hostile global environment resembles the role the Communist Party assigned itself in the Soviet Union. This approach helps the Kremlin centralize power, suppress dissent, and create conditions for demanding that Russian society make new social sacrifices in support of the war in Ukraine and beyond.
– Institute for the Study of War
Against the backdrop of the U.S. administration’s efforts to revive peace talks, the Institute for the Study of War stated that the Kremlin is showing no willingness to make meaningful compromises to end the war against Ukraine.
Following a recent conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Putin wanted to reach a deal. Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s readiness to enter into such an agreement a positive signal.
Zelenskyy stressed that there was still time for diplomatic efforts before the onset of winter. At the same time, he said that, in his view, Putin was counting on another harsh winter to weaken Ukraine.
Thus, Medvedev’s public statements indicate that United Russia is not abandoning its pro-war rhetoric, while the Kremlin continues to prepare society for a prolonged confrontation and new losses.