As the Donald Trump administration retreats in its support for Ukraine, Russia has seized the opportunity and is increasing military pressure across the board, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources in American intelligence and think tanks.
According to journalists, in a recent phone call with Trump, Vladimir Putin made it clear that he is not going to change his goals in the war against Ukraine. The Kremlin, as at the beginning of the invasion, is trying to regain control of Ukraine and force the West to stop supporting Kyiv.
The recent US decision to suspend arms deliveries has only intensified this dynamic. The WSJ notes that this could give Putin “significant impetus” for further action on the battlefield.
Analysts warn that now the Russian Federation is betting not so much on quick territorial gains as on the exhaustion of the Ukrainian army, the destruction of infrastructure, and the moral exhaustion of the population.
The material emphasizes that the summer of 2025 will be one of the most difficult for Ukraine: Russia will intensify air strikes on Kyiv and other cities, trying to destabilize the rear, sow panic, and make the West doubt the feasibility of further support.
Putin’s tactics are aimed at a long-term war of attrition, in which, according to the Kremlin’s calculations, Ukraine and its allies will eventually tire and give in. The momentum provided by the pause in US support could be decisive for changes on the front, the WSJ warns.
Meanwhile, Trump's efforts at "peace talks" have reached a dead end: Putin is not taking them seriously and is continuing the pressure. According to the publication, none of the Kremlin's key goals have changed - the pressure is only increasing.
