War in Ukraine may last forever – military historian from Germany
20 July 2025 21:15
The war in Ukraine may never end if Russia reduces the intensity of hostilities and reduces the situation to the level of military clashes that last for a very long time.
This opinion was expressed by German military historian Markus Koypp in an interview with the Austrian newspaper Kurier published on Sunday, July 20. In this case, there will be an “eternally bleeding border” between Russia and Ukraine, he said, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
“For Russia, war is an ideal mode of operation, an ideal model of society,” he said. – “War allows him (Russian President Vladimir Putin – Ed. ) to mobilize people. Thanks to the war, he has total control over the economy and society. This Russia can no longer return to a peaceful existence. Economically, it will collapse very quickly.
Later in the interview, Kurier’s interlocutor expresses the opinion that Russia will not retreat from its belligerent policy, even if the war in Ukraine is ever over. “Even if the war in Ukraine ends someday, it does not mean that Russia will give up this policy. On the contrary. If war is a business model, then Russia always needs an enemy. It always needs a battlefield or a target for invasion.”
“It doesn’t matter when and how Putin dies”
Speaking about Russian President Vladimir Putin, the military historian calls him “just one of many personifications of an authoritarian, militaristic and nationalist regime.” “It doesn’t matter when Putin dies, how he dies-whether he falls out of a window or dies of natural causes-the next leader will come from this leadership environment, and everything will continue in the same style.”
Against this backdrop, Russia’s geographic neighbors, including Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic states, should consider strengthening their borders with Russia to protect themselves from future invasions: “The idea that peaceful coexistence with an expansive empire is possible is one of the biggest mistakes of the last 30 years. It will take a long time before we will be able to move away.”
“What Russia is doing today in relation to Ukraine, it can repeat exactly in relation to other countries,” said Markus Koipp. – “The so-called ‘special operations’ can be repeated in Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Baltic States, and so on.”
The way to peace is through the supply of weapons to Ukraine
Answering the question whether Putin or Russia, in his opinion, is going to conquer entire countries again, Koipp said: “I would say: (Russia wants to – Ed. ) to infiltrate, to penetrate (the governmental system of other countries – Ed.) and ultimately to re-engage (them – Ed.) in the sphere. Putin has been very successful in Georgia. He is trying to do it in Romania .
The only way to get Putin to sit down at the negotiating table or make peace with Ukraine, according to Koip, is to “very simply bring the supply of weapons to Ukraine to the maximum.” “Only when he realizes that he is not going to get any further will he probably look for other ways,” the military historian believes.
