Putin has rejected calls for peace and is aiming to escalate war, - Reuters
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has no intention of halting his war of aggression against Ukraine. Despite strong public statements and peace efforts by the Donald Trump administration, the Kremlin leader has rejected proposals from his own inner circle to freeze the conflict and is preparing a new large-scale escalation.
Reuters reports this, citing three high-ranking sources close to the Kremlin, according to Censor.NET.
Conflict in the Kremlin and a refusal to compromise
According to the agency’s sources, the Russian leader currently completely rejects the idea of any peace talks with Kyiv based on compromise. Moreover, internal discussions in the Kremlin have resulted in a harsh reaction from the dictator.
"Putin recently rebuked a group of advisers suggesting a compromise based on a ceasefire along the current front lines," one of the interviewees said.
Forecasts for the coming months
Putin, however, continues to view establishing full control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as the primary and non-negotiable objective for his army.
According to sources, hopes that internal problems would force Russia to seek peace have not materialized. The recent successful strikes by Ukrainian long-range drones did not intimidate the Kremlin but had the exact opposite effect. These attacks only enraged the Russian leadership and strengthened Putin’s resolve to continue and prolong the hostilities.
Two sources close to the Kremlin assess the likelihood of a new major escalation on the front lines in the coming months as "extremely high." The occupying forces will attempt to exploit the current window of opportunity before U.S. diplomatic efforts take concrete shape.
