The Russian president appears to hope that he can achieve his goals in Ukraine by biding his time while maintaining steady military pressure along the stalemated front line.
| Why this matters: |
| Putin’s longer timeline still has its downside, with the conflict taking a heavy toll on Russia by draining its economic and military resources and fueling social tensions. Putin has repeatedly signaled a desire to negotiate an end to the fighting but warned that Russia will hold onto its gains. He used an interview with Tucker Carlson to urge the U.S. to push its “satellite” Ukraine into peace talks, declaring that “sooner or later, we will come to an agreement.” Recent developments have fed his optimism, including that U.S. aid for Ukraine remains stuck in Congress, along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s dismissal of his military chief and Donald Trump saying he could allow Russia to expand its aggression in Europe if NATO members fail to raise defense spending. |