Putin aims to seize control of contested territories in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated his intention to seize the entire region, parts of which Kyiv’s forces still hold. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ruled out ceding this territory, arguing that doing so would allow Putin to use it as a base for further attacks on Ukraine. Currently, Russia occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, reports BritPanorama.
Secretary Marco Rubio warned on Thursday that current stalemates are “very dangerous” as they can either lead to a negotiated settlement or escalation of the conflict. In the specific context of Ukraine, Rubio noted this could “wind up being a sabotage campaign in neighboring countries that are members of NATO.”
European leaders are increasingly concerned about the potential for Russia to escalate and expand the conflict onto the continent. Rubio emphasized that “in the end, we do not believe that there is a military solution to this conflict,” adding, “we think this war needs to end in a negotiated settlement. The sooner, the better.”
In separate comments to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, Rubio expressed skepticism about the prospects for a negotiated peace in Ukraine at present. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded, stating he agreed with the assessment made by Rubio, as reported by Russian state news agency Tass.
Diplomatic efforts from the U.S. to address the ongoing war were revived last month when Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff visited Moscow and made a rare trip to Kyiv. However, no significant breakthroughs were reported from these meetings.
The White House has previously reiterated some of Putin’s firm demands and sought to encourage Kyiv to make concessions.
Putin has justified the invasion by claiming Russia’s goal is to demilitarize Ukraine and dismantle what he describes as Kyiv’s “Nazi ideology”-driven government, a narrative persistent in Kremlin propaganda.
What began as a swift military operation aimed at toppling Zelenskyy and installing a pro-Kremlin government has quickly stalled, leaving Putin with the capture of Donbas as his primary option for claiming a significant victory in Ukraine.
The implications of these developments continue to be scrutinised as the situation unfolds.
