Budanov: former spy chief, now Zelensky’s top aide

Can peace finally be on the horizon?

While everyone is focused on the Middle East crisis, the War between Russia and Ukraine is ongoing, as brutal as ever.

But today, news arose that a well-placed source in Kiev’s regime has come forward to say that the two countries are moving towards a potential deal to end the conflict.

The top aide to Ukrainian ​President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and now Head of the Presidential Office, broke the surprising news.

Reuters reported:

“Kyrylo Budanov, a former head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, ‌said that he saw progress towards a deal, but declined to say what a potential compromise on territory, a key stumbling block, would look like.

‘No final decision has been made ​yet’, he said, according to the report. ‘But, in principle, everyone now clearly ​understands the limits of what is acceptable. That’s enormous progress’.

‘They all ⁠understand the war needs to end. That’s why they are negotiating’, Budanov ​said in an interview with Bloomberg on April 4. ‘I don’t think it will be ​long’.”

Budanov earned a reputation as head of Ukraine’s military intelligence until Kiev regime leader Volodymyr Zelensky appointed him as chief of his presidential office.

He’s become a key figure in Ukraine’s negotiating team, with a leading role in overseeing prisoner exchanges with Russia.

Bloomberg reported:

“Budanov acknowledged that both sides have maintained ‘maximalist’ positions in the US-mediated negotiations so far, but said he believes they’ll move closer together in the search for a compromise.

Russia has a clear incentive to reach a deal, he said. ‘Unlike us, they are spending their own money’, Budanov said. ‘These are enormous sums — already in the trillions’.”

Pie chart showing simulated election results between Kirill Budanov and Vladimir Zelensky, with Budanov receiving 56.2% and Zelensky 43.8% of the votes.
Budanov is doing better in the polls than Zelensky

“Budanov argued that a key achievement of the peace negotiations was keeping US President Donald Trump’s administration engaged as a mediator. He said Ukraine expects the top White House envoys at the talks, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to lead a US delegation to Kiev, possibly next week, in what would be their first visit to Ukraine of the war.”

Read more: Ukrainian Negotiators Divided, With Head of Presidential Office Budanov Leading Faction Who Wants a Quick Peace Agreement ‘While There’s Still Time’: REPORT

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