Category Archives: Putin

Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has called for more active support for Ukraine, given that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not set to stop his full-scale aggression in the near future.

Source: Borrell in an interview with The Guardian; European Pravda

Details: Borrell stressed that the existence of the European Union is at stake in Ukraine, so it is necessary to pay attention to the danger that comes from a powerful state and threatens European democracy.

Quote: "Putin has decided to continue the war until the final victory.

[Russias] success is dependent on bringing to the battlefield as many people as they can.

And if we dont change course rapidly, if we dont mobilise all our capacities, it will let Putin win the war in Ukraine."

More details: Borrell explained that the Russian president cannot be satisfied with a "piece of Ukraine" and allow the rest of the territory to belong to the European Union. In addition, Putin expects the US presidential election to create a more favourable scenario for him.

"So we must prepare for a conflict of high intensity for a long time," he said.

Borrell reiterated that Putin had miscalculated the strength of his army, the strength of the Ukrainian resistance and the Western world's reaction to his actions.

"Russia has never been able to become a nation. It was always an empire with the tsar, with the Soviets, and now with Putin. It is a constant of Russia, and its political identity, and as a result a threat to his neighbours and particularly to us," Borrell added.

Background: A few days ago, Borrell had already drawn attention to the danger of a Russian victory against Ukraine for the European Union project.

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Putin decides to fight till final victory EU chief diplomat - Yahoo News

Claims of signals from Russian President Vladimir Putin that he is interested in a ceasefire are more aimed at delaying and preventing further Western military aid for Ukraine.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: According to military analysts, Putin is not seriously interested in ending the war in any other way than a complete Russian victory.

The ISW has observed similar efforts by the Kremlin to mislead Western politicians into forcing Ukraine to negotiate with Russia in the winter of 2022-2023.

This was done to effectively redirect Western attention to hypothetical negotiations instead of providing Ukraine with sufficient weapons before its spring-summer counteroffensive.

The Kremlin is likely to use covert channels to achieve this effect amid debates over further military assistance to Ukraine.

Background:Russian President Vladimir Putin has been sending signals through intermediaries since at least September that he was ready to agree to a ceasefire in the war of aggression against Ukraine, which would include freezing hostilities on the current contact line.

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Putin's signals of readiness to stop war are being sent to prevent military aid ISW - Yahoo News

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Putin tells Abbas he'll continue sending aid to Gaza, urges end to war - The Times of Israel

The New York Times has reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin is signaling to the West that he would be willing to freeze the war in Ukraine along the current frontline and is waiting for a more concrete proposal.

Additionally, Putin had allegedly tested the waters for a ceasefire agreement back in fall 2022 after Ukraine routed the Russian army in the northeastern part of the country. At that time, Putin indicated that he was satisfied with the territory Russia had captured and was ready for a ceasefire, the NYT writes.

However, many politicians and experts have reacted skeptically to such statements, arguing that the Russian leader is trying to mislead the West.

Euromaidan Press analyzed what these information leaks actually mean.

The New York Timesreported that Russian President Vladimir Putin is signaling to Western nations through intermediaries. Despite his public commitment to Ukraines ongoing war, Putin is open to freezing the fighting along the current front line. The information comes from two former high-ranking Kremlin officials and unnamed American and international sources who received messages from Putins emissaries.

They say, We are ready to have negotiations on a ceasefire,'saidone senior international official who met with top Russian officials this fall. They want to stay where they are on the battlefield.

A key condition for Putin is the ability to declare victory, but he can already do so. Putins propaganda could easily spin the current status quo as a win, touting the land corridor to Crimea, an army that withstood Ukraines Western-backed counteroffensive, and Russias claimed annexation of four Ukrainian regions glossing over the fact that Russia does not fully control them.

At the same time, claims on the unoccupied parts of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts, the overthrow of the Zelenskyy administration, and even guarantees against Ukraines NATO membership none of these are dealbreakers for Putin.

The ideal timing would be before Russias presidential election in March. Putin is sure to secure another six-year term, but he cares about the election as a marker of his domestic support.

On the night of 25-26 October 2023, Putin also met with Russian marginal politician Grigory Yavlinsky, a sign of Putins openness to discussing a ceasefire, as per the NYT. Yavlinsky argued for the advantages of a truce and even volunteered as a negotiator during a 90-minute conversation with Putin.

The fact that he agreed to talk to me for so long speaks for itself,saidYavlinsky, born in Western Ukraine.

However, Putins attitude could shift if he believes the Russian military can still gain ground.

Additionally, Moscow aims to involve Washington in the negotiation process, but the US has never negotiated for Ukraine and is reluctant to do so now. It also remains uncertain whether Ukraines leadership will accept freezing the war if it means ceding 20% of the countrys territory.

Following the article in the NYT, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, during a visit to Italian troops in Poland, stated that its time to actively pursue a political solution to end the war triggered by Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The war has been going on for almost two years now, and I think that, alongside and in parallel with military engagement and support for Ukraine, it is important to take paths that lead to a political solution,Crosettosaid.

Crosetto noted that while military actions have safeguarded Ukraine and fortified its borders, some objectives require diplomatic and political means for achievement.

The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) analyzed the NYT article in its daily briefing. According to the analysts, Putin may demand a temporary ceasefire as it would provide Russia with time to prepare for a new aggression against Ukraine.

ISW highlights that in December 2023, Putin publicly stated that his goals in Ukraine, including denazification, demilitarization, and the imposition of a neutral status, remain unchanged.

Putins public rhetoric is at odds with Putins reported private desire to declare victory and move on. Neither the NYT nor its sources offered any reason to believe Putins backchannel communications would be more reflective of his goals than his public speeches,notedISW analytics.

Analysts argue that Putins signals to the West dont suggest a genuine interest in ending the war. Instead, they seem focused on impeding additional military aid from the West to Ukraine amidst ongoing debates in Western countries.

Many in the West are skeptical of a ceasefire because they say Putin would rearm for a future assault. EUs top diplomat, Josep Borrelll, stated that he sees no indication Vladimir Putin would accept any agreement allowing Ukraine to retain sovereignty over eastern areas.

Putin cannot be satisfied with a limited territorial victory. He will not give up the war, especially not before the American election. Putin has decided to continue the war until the final victory,Borrelll asserted.

Borrell described the war as a decisive moment for the European project and stressed the need for swift and unified EU action to aid Ukraine. This is required, he argues, to thwart Putins ambitions of total victory.

Borrelll attributed Russias grievances to its historical legacy.

Russia has never been able to become a nation. It was always an empire with the tsar, with the Soviets, and now with Putin. It is a constant of Russia, and its political identity, and as a result a threat to his neighbors and particularly to us,noted Borrelll.

Echoing Josep Borrelll, President Edgars Rinkevics of Latvia argued that Putin was committed to war because he dreams of re-establishing the empire.

They never honored any agreements,and they have violated them immediately when they saw it was convenient,Rinkevicssaidof the Russians.

Disagreeing with the NYT article is Alexander Vindman, former Director for European Affairs for the US National Security Council and a Kyiv native. He believes that behind it are individuals attempting to maintain an unofficial channel of negotiations with Moscow.

Not sure whats more offensive: the cowardice of former policymakers too scared to be on record so hiding behind preserving a back-channel, while having the ego to think they can deliver a peace deal or the useful idiots peddling the snake-oil of Putins peace,Vindmanwroteon Threads.

In his view, the NYT article reflects a profound misunderstanding of Russias war in Ukraine and an ignorance of Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said he saw no sign that Russia wanted to negotiate.

We just see brazen willingness to kill,hesaid.

New statements about the need for negotiations and Putins willingness to engage in them come amid a stalemate on the frontlines in Ukraine, where the war has turned into a positional one. Against the backdrop of the Wests hesitancy to provide military assistance, calls for a transition to a defensive strategy are being voiced in Kyiv.

However, there is still some news from the front: this week, the Ukrainian army sensationally shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers in a single day. While the exact circumstances remain unknown, it is speculated that the American Patriot air defense system was involved. The loss of three bombers at once has already led Russia to reduce the number of airstrikes on Ukrainian territory,accordingto Yurii Ihnat, the spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force.

Additionally, the Netherlandsannouncedpreparations to transfer 18 F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW)suggested that Ukraine will likely receive the initial batch of F-16s before the close of 2023.Accordingto one of Russias most famous milbloggers, Rybar, a squadron of F-16s is already in Ukraine. One way or another, Kyiv is about to significantly strengthen its position on the frontline, at least regarding air support for ground troops.

The Russian army, for its part, also remains stagnant. However, the Kremlin has no intention of stopping. To make a tangible change, Moscow needs additional resources and time. The question is whether the respite Russia wants is measured in years or months.

In any case, Putins willingness to agree to a ceasefire without insisting on Kyiv abandoning NATO aspirations stems from the need to accumulate strength. The Kremlins likely goal is to conquer Ukraine before it formally joins the Alliance, as despite applying over a year ago, Kyiv still has yet to receive a formal invitation. Thwarting Putins plans requires a united Western stance, and the decision on further assistance to Ukraine in January-February 2024 will reveal whether Western countries are prepared to provide such support.

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Putin wants to freeze war in Ukraine, claims NYT. Should we believe it? - Euromaidan Press

Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin shows no willingness to participate in Ukraine negotiations, the new German ambassador to Russia, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, told news agency Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland in his first interview since assuming his post, published Dec. 22.

"Putin has just confirmed his military goals," he said, noting a diffuse yearning for peace among the Russian population.

Read also: Putin wants combat lasers, AI robots for Russian military

There are no signs that Putin will change his position after the presidential elections in March 2024. The regime feels stable and comfortable, and there is no evidence to confirm rumors of the dictator's "poor health."

Lambsdorff supports the strengthening of EU sanctions against Russia as an effective measure, but warns not to expect immediate results.

Read also: Russia's arm production and stockpiles not in best shape Military Intelligence

"Sanctions are not a light switch... You cannot impose sanctions and immediately change the behavior of the sanctioned party, he explained.

Sanctions are there to show the price for certain behavior. And this is happening visibly."

Russia has no intention of abandoning its objectives in Ukraine, Putin told the Russian Defense Ministry on Dec. 19. In response, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu noted that "all the tasks set by the Russian Armed Forces for 2023 have been completed" and announced plans to expand the countrys armed forces to 1.5 million personnel.

Russia is formulating a new medium-term war plan, aiming to extend combat operations in Ukraine for another 36 months and capture major cities, according to a Dec. 14 report by the German newspaper BILD, which cites intelligence sources.

BILD writes that Russia's strategic goals by the end of 2024 include the complete occupation of Ukraines Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and parts of Kharkiv Oblast, extending to the Oskil River. Russian forces then plan to conquer significant areas of the Zaporizhzhya, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv Oblasts by the end of 2026, including the strategic cities of Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhya, the report says.

Read also: Putin parrots worn propaganda tropes at first public call-in marathon since 2021

At the same time, Ukraines Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) head, Kyrylo Budanov, said that Russia does not currently intend to wage war in 2025.

On Dec. 19, HUR spokesman Andriy Yusov said that Russia has ramped up production of missiles and drones beyond pre-invasion levels. Nevertheless, Yusov noted, these volumes will not permit Moscow to amass a significant stockpile of long-range weapons.

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Putin shows no willingness to negotiate, says German ambassador to Russia - Yahoo News

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said Thursday the recent failure of Congress to pass a new round of aid to Ukraine is “a tremendous gift” to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“You know who is going to have the best Christmas imaginable? Vladimir Putin,” the Virginia senator posted to his account on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Our failure to renew aid to Ukraine is a tremendous gift to him. We must get it done next year.”

The Senate adjourned Wednesday without a deal on funding for Ukraine or border security, ending a historically unproductive legislative session. Its members are not scheduled to come back until early January.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) attributed the absence of achievements to the influence of former President Trump on the Republican-majority House.

“Under a Republican House majority this year, we saw a year marked by chaos, extremism and paralysis. There’s no question that divided government and MAGA extremism made legislating in 2023 very difficult,” Schumer said in floor remarks.

“For much of the year it was as if Donald Trump himself were running the show over in the House, making it exceedingly hard to get anything done,” he lamented.  

Last week, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell predicted that it would be “practically impossible” to pass military aid to Ukraine before Christmas, even though negotiations on a supplemental spending package were ongoing.

“All I have said is [it’s] practically impossible, even though we reach an agreement, to craft it, get it through the Senate, get it through the House before Christmas,” McConnell said. “Doesn’t mean it’s not important.”

Republican senators have insisted on major immigration policy changes in exchange for supporting President Biden’s $60 billion spending request for Ukraine. So far Democrats have rejected the GOP demands as too extreme.

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Sen. Warner: Congressional failure to pass Ukraine aid tremendous gift to Putin - The Hill

Independent Russian presidential candidate Yekaterina Duntsova will not be permitted to appear on the ballot in the March 2024 vote after the Central Election Commission (CEC) rejected her nomination documents.

Duntsova, 40, a journalist and local politician from the Tver region northwest of Moscow, announced her bid for the presidency in November on a pro-peace, pro-democracy platform.

This week, she secured the endorsement of an initiative group of more than 500 supporters as is required for candidates not running as part of a political party.

At a meeting Saturday, the Central Election Commission (CEC) rejected her documents, saying it found over 100 typos and other errors, the Ostorozhno Novosti Telegram news channel reported.

We have carefully studied the documents, and we have the impression that they were filled out in haste without complying with legal standards, the BBC's Russian service quoted CEC memberYevgeny Shevchenko as saying at the commission's meeting.

If the CEC had accepted her documents, she would have then needed to collect 300,000 unique voter signatures from at least 40 regions of Russia to be able to appear on the ballot.

Following the meeting, Duntsova said she plans toappeal the commissions decision in court and intends to ask the liberal Yabloko party to nominate her as a candidate.

I want us all to believe that we will be able to take another chance. Dont lose faith, dont lose hope, she said.

Duntsovas campaign has reported several instances of pressure since she announced her bid for the presidency.

She was summoned to the prosecutor's office to discuss her campaign and attitude toward Russias actions in Ukraine shortly after announcing her campaign.

One of Duntsovas supporters wasdetainedin the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk after returning from the nomination meeting, according to womens activist group Myagkaya Sila (Soft Power).The supporter, who is also a member of Myagkaya Sila, was reportedly accused of falselyfiling a complaintagainst a police officer.

She has also facedspeculation that she could be a Kremlin-endorsed spoiler candidate.

The state-run RIA Novosti news agencyclaimedthis week without evidence that Duntsova had the financial backing of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former oligarch turned exiled Kremlin critic.

President Vladimir Putin, 71, is expected to handily win re-election to a fifth term keeping him in power until at least 2030 in the March 2024 vote after the elimination of virtually all opposition.

Yekaterina Sergeyevna, you are a young woman, you still have everything ahead of you. Any minus can always be turned into a plus. Any experience is still experience, CEC chief Ella Pamfilova told Duntsova at the end of Saturdays meeting.

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Pro-Peace Putin Challenger Blocked From Ballot - The Moscow Times

After Ukraine, the Kremlin's next targets could be Moldova and the Baltic countries, Belgian army chief Michel Hofman haswarned.

Russia has "already shown that they have the will to attack a neighbor," Hofman told Belgian news outlet VRT while visiting Belgian soldiers stationed in Romania. Russian President Vladimir Putin's language "is always ambiguous. It is absolutely possible that they will also have other ideas later. Either in the south in Moldova or the Baltic states," he said.

"Europe must urgently prepare and make it clear that it can defend itself" and that "it will ... counterattack if necessary," said Hofman, who is the chief of defense of the Belgian armed forces.

Ukraine has been fending off Putin's full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022 and shows no signs of abating despite fierce resistance from Kyiv's forces.

"Russia has switched to a war industry," Hofman added. Even if Moscow's forces seem weakened at the moment due to their ongoing war against Ukraine, this weakness is "temporary," he said. If Russia wins the war, it "will eventually regenerate the war machine and rebuild its armed forces," the army chief warned.

Moldova neighbors Ukraine and one of its regions Transnistria is backed by the Kremlin. It has functioned as an unrecognized state since the fall of the USSR, keeping its Soviet-era hammer and sickle flag and using Russian as its official language.

To the Kremlin's west, the Baltic countries are protected by NATO's common defense clause and an attack by Putin's troops on Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania could trigger a wider conflict.

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Putin could attack Baltics and Moldova next, says Belgian army chief - POLITICO Europe

Russian President Vladimir Putin at his annual press conference earlier this month. ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Russian President Vladimir Putin at his annual press conference earlier this month.

For Russian President Vladimir Putin, 2023 began with his war against Ukraine stagnating. It went on to deliver one of the most public challenges to his leadership, ever.

Now as 2023 comes to a close, the man who lead the rebellion against Putin Yevgeny Prighozin is dead. US aid to Ukraine is on the Congressional chopping block, and Putin is getting ready to embark on a fifth campaign for the presidency of Russia. Odds are, he'll win.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks to Russia correspondent Charles Maynes about Putin's year that was, and how things are looking for 2024.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org

This episode was produced by Marc Rivers. It was edited by Courtney Dorning and Mark Katkov. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Vladimir Putin's Horrible, Terrible, but in the End Pretty Good Year : Consider This from NPR - NPR

U.K. Defense Minister Grant Shapps has told the Sunday Times in a Dec. 24 interview that the West "cannot afford" to lose the war in Ukraine and that there would be "severe consequences" if Russian dictator Vladimir Putin wins.

"If we allow Putin to win this war by dragging it out, and he somehow wins it by exhausting everybody else, then we will suffer the consequences. And the consequences would be incredibly severe for Europe, for Britain, for the world," Shapps said, as quoted by the media.

"And the reason I say that is because we know what happens when dictators march across Europe. We know what happens when others look at a weakness or what they perceive to be a weakness, and that could have implications in the Indo-Pacific or elsewhere," he said. "So we can literally not afford not to win this war."

Shapps, who previously served as the U.K. energy secretary, was appointed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Aug. 31, replacing the outgoing Defense Minister Ben Wallace.

According to the Sunday Times, Schapps said the "expenditure on defense across the West, including in the U.K., is insufficient to see off the threat of a resurgent Russia."

The United Kingdom spent 2.3 billion British pounds (about $2.9 billion) on defense assistance to Ukraine last year and has committed the same amount in 2023.

Shapps told the Sunday Times that providing support to Ukraine "isnt some kind of charity approach."

"I know its often called gifting but its actually in our own bloody interests," he said.

In September, Shapps traveled to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky.

It was his second visit to Kyiv and his first in his new role as defense minister. In addition to meeting with Zelensky, Shapps also participated in talks with other Ukrainian officials, including his Ukrainian counterpart, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

Back then, he also emphasized that the support of the U.K. for Ukraine "remains unwavering."

Dutch minister: If you dont stop Russia now, theyll go further. Its not just Ukraine

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Netherlands has taken a leading role in providing Ukraine with what it needs to survive. Seven years after voting down an EU Association Agreement with Ukraine in a referendum, effectively delaying it for a year, the Netherlands now ranks eighth in te

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UK defense minister warns of 'severe consequences' if Putin wins war in Ukraine - Kyiv Independent