Photo: Vyacheslav Prokofiev/TASS
Putin is not preparing for real peace
Russian President Vladimir Putin is not considering a real peace deal and still wants to control all of Ukraine, despite talks between the Trump administration and Moscow. This was stated by six senior US and European officials in a commentary to NBC News.
“We don’t have any evidence that Putin really wants to end the war,” said one US congressional representative.
Intelligence: Putin just wants to buy time
American and European intelligence services are convinced that even if the Kremlin agrees to a ceasefire, it will only be to regroup its troops and prepare a new stage of aggression.
“He believes he’s winning,” said one Western official, noting that the Russian army’s losses do not force Putin to stop fighting.
Trump administration continues negotiations
US National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said that the Trump team had “created the first opportunity for negotiations in years of war”. At the same time, official Kyiv fears that these talks could be imposed on Ukraine without its participation.
Three-hour talks between Trump’s representative and Putin
According to NBC News, Trump’s emissary Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow for talks. This coincided with the release of American Mark Vogel from a Russian prison.
Western intelligence: “Putin’s goal has not changed”
US officials believe that Putin is feeling supported after the Trump administration’s statements that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is unrealistic.
“Its goals remain maximum,” one of the officials said. According to the official, the Kremlin is not preparing for any withdrawal of troops, but rather is strengthening its forces in the occupied regions.
