Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has warned that the conflict in Ukraine may stretch on for several years. Speaking on a Russian television show, Medvedev said that while a full-fledged war between the Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces had largely ended, what remains was “distorted, and perhaps in part long-term.” He estimated that simmering unrest between Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels could stretch on for at least a few years, though he suggested that there could ultimately be a resolution to the tension and Russia and Ukraine could normalize their relations. The situation in Ukraine has been tense since 2014, when Russian-backed separatists seized territory in the eastern part of the country.