Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Putin is “not in the mood for peace”, as one source put it.
As the war in Ukraine drags on, Moscow appears unwilling to ease the fighting.
Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, the Kremlin insists that now is not the time for a truce.
But since Russia has lost more than a million troops during the 44 months of fighting, why is Putin not interested in a ceasefire?
According to sources close to the Russian administration, it is because Putin wants to give his army time to achieve something it has promised him.
Wants time to conquer key cities
A report from the Kyiv Post quotes a Kremlin source as saying that Russia believes halting the conflict at this stage would only benefit Ukraine.
The Kremlin reportedly aims to gain full control over several key cities before considering negotiations.
Sources suggest that the Russian leadership is intentionally stalling peace efforts to give its forces more time to advance on the battlefield.
No appetite for peace
Kremlin insiders told the independent Russian publication Verstka that Putin has rejected a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump to freeze hostilities.
Allegedly, Putin insisted that Ukraine must surrender the entire Donetsk region before any talks can begin.
This refusal reportedly led to the cancellation of a planned Trump–Putin meeting in Budapest, sources confirmed.
Wants to more cities
“There is no mood for peace in the Kremlin,” a source close to the Russian administration said.
“If the military were to halt now, we would soon face the same risks and return to where we started—only the troops will have restored their strength,” the source added.
The Kyiv Post quotes pro-Kremlin analysts claiming that military leaders have promised Putin full control over the strategic cities of Pokrovsk and Kupiansk.
“Until we settle on these positions, we will not talk about the line of contact,” one source said, adding that negotiations have been deliberately delayed since May to allow further advances.
Russian forces are currently conducting intense attacks aimed at capturing Pokrovsk and Kupiansk, key urban centers seen as vital to the Kremlin’s military objectives.
Officials and media aligned with Moscow suggest that once these cities are secured, the leadership may reconsider its stance on negotiations—but not before.
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, which may have used AI in the preparation
