What does the latest round of diplomacy on Ukraine tell us about Russian President Vladimir Putin's mood and intentions?
For starters, that he's not ready to sign a peace deal. At least, not right now.
And certainly not the deal (or deals) on the table.
No compromise version has yet been found, commented Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov after five hours of talks in Moscow involving Putin, US envoy Steve Witkoff, and Donald Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
No compromise is no real surprise, considering the Kremlin leader's uncompromising comments in recent days.
In various statements he has condemned the Ukrainian leadership as a thieving junta, accused European leaders of trying to sabotage peace efforts, and insisted that Russia holds the initiative on the battlefield.
On a couple of recent occasions, Russian TV showed Putin in military fatigues, studying maps of the front line and trumpeting military gains, many of which Ukraine and international observers have denied.
Nearly four years into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, despite heavy losses and economic strain, President Putin seems convinced of his military accomplishments and that the moment for a ceasefire hasn’t arrived.
This perspective portrays Putin as a leader with a singular focus—a driver in a car devoid of brakes or direction, hurtling forward despite the chaos around him.
Putin’s defiance aims to project an image that nothing can impede his ambitions, neither European leaders, nor the Trump administration, nor President Zelensky.
However, sustaining a conflict requires resources—endless financial input.
Currently, despite sanctions, Russia manages to fund its military efforts, but economic troubles are intensifying. Decreasing revenues from oil and gas have expanded the budget deficit.
Putin acknowledges these hardships, noting imbalances in the economy. He remarked, In several sectors, production output not only failed to increase this year but actually decreased.
The pivotal question remains: when will these economic pressures begin to alter the Kremlin's tactics on the battlefield?
