Putin changes his plans, short-term goals in war with Ukraine – media
Vladimir Putin has likely adjusted his plans for the war in Ukraine - he is now planning to consolidate his power in the captured territory and stimulate the country's economy, but his strategy for a complete takeover remains relevant, CNN reports, citing intelligence data.
“New intelligence reviewed by US and Western officials suggests Russian President Vladimir Putin may have shifted his immediate focus in the Ukraine war toward the shorter-term objectives of solidifying his hold on territory his forces have seized and boosting his country’s struggling economy, multiple people familiar with the matter told CNN,” CNN said on its website.
According to experts, this represents an evolution from recent US and Western intelligence assessments suggesting that Putin felt the state of the war was to his advantage, that he had the momentum as well as the manpower to sustain a longer fight against a faltering Ukraine and seize the entire country.
These changes in the Russian leader's approach could play into the hands of President Donald Trump, who hopes to reach a peace agreement.
“All of this really depends on what is the US willing to put on the table so that he could not just claim victory domestically, but really feel that he has achieved something that is worth a significant pause and then maybe retake up the fight at some point later,” one of the officials noted.
However, senior US officials remain skeptical of Putin and his repeated assertions in ongoing talks that he wants a peace deal, even though what is being proposed by the US is incredibly generous to Russia, handing them most of the territory they’ve taken. There is also a widespread belief that even if Russia agrees to a version of the agreement on the table it may look to resume the war and try to seize more of Ukraine in the long-term.