President of Russia understands that no one approached him properly to finish the war, that he will have no peace depending on the US, but before something else
Donald Trump put a deadline to Vladimir Putin. It’s 50 days to get to peace, or “scathing” tariffs for Russia. Despite the threats from the Atlantic side, at Kremlin no one shudder or diverts even a comma from what is intended.
According to the agency, which cites three sources close to Kremlin, the president of Russia intends to continue the war until the West accepts his terms of peace. The same is to say that he wants to see the recognition of the four attached regions – Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporizehzia and Kherson – the protection of the Russopones living in Ukraine and the guarantee that Kiev will not be ally with the neutrality and almost annihilation of the Armed Forces.
Putin believes Russia has economy and armed forces to endure this effort, even if Europe and the United States can reinforce measures against the Russian bloc.
And it’s not Trump’s assumed frustration or the threat with tariffs within 50 days that retreat Kremlin. Indeed, it is believed in the hard core of Putin that it is possible to continue to survive western sanctions, namely through the economy. If the United States threatens with tariffs, Russia can reach where it also hurts: companies buy oil to Moscow.
“Putin thinks no one has seriously approached him about the details of peace in Ukraine – including Americans – so let’s continue until he has what he wants,” one of the sources told Reuters agency.
This is the posture despite the apparent good relationship between White House and Kremlin, where the phones have played to receive calls on the other side. United States envoy Steve Witkoff – which began to overlook the Middle East, but quickly also dealt with Ukraine – was recently in Moscow, where no one saw a good approach to a good peace plan.
“Putin values the relationship with Trump and has had good discussions with Witkoff, but Russia’s interests are above all,” one of the sources added.
And even though Trump’s promised tariffs will affect third countries, such as China, India or Brazil, Putin understands that Russia has the ability to overcome such a scenario.
Kremlin understands that he currently has an advantage on the battlefield, while his war economy also allows greater weaponry production than what he does.
In order of warning, one of the sources heard by Reuters even suggests that Putin may want to advance on the ground and not just stay for the four illegally attached regions in 2022. “The appetite comes from eating,” he said, suggesting that there is more in the mind of Russia than Crimea – attached in 2014 – Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporizehzia and Kerson. This at a time when Russian forces managed to enter Sumy or Dnipropetrovsk, for example, while still keeping positions in Kharkiv.
“Russia will act based on the weaknesses of Ukraine,” added another source, admitting that the war can stop the total conquest of all four regions, as well as the recognition of Crimea. At this point only Lugansk is fully in the hands of the Russians.
“If this fails, there will be an even greater achievement in Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy and Kharkiv,” the same source added.
At the end of the day, Putin not only does not seem concerned about the threats from the White House, but even responds with his own threats. In this case that it will advance further in Ukraine.
