Putin understands the inevitability of direct talks with Kiev to end the war. But he considers it an insult.

Axar.az reports that this was said by Ukrainian military expert Oleg Zhdanov.

"Putin wants to legitimize himself by returning to Olympus. How to do this? It is necessary to provoke NATO and raise the war to the level of a world war. How to do this? Only by starting a war with NATO," Zhdanov said.

In this context, the expert noted the tension between Russia and Lithuania regarding the transit to the Kaliningrad region:

"Lithuania is a member of NATO. If Putin manages to provoke him to the first shot, the war will rise to the world level."