Putin's New Plan: Territorial Claims Will Be Intensified

The high military command of Russia has convinced President Vladimir Putin that by autumn, Russian forces will allegedly be able to fully capture the Donbas. After that, the Kremlin leader intends to tighten his demands regarding Ukrainian territories. This was reported by the Financial Times, citing two anonymous interlocutors who have contact with the Russian leader, two other individuals familiar with the matter, as well as assessments from Ukrainian intelligence.

According to the newspaper, the Kremlin's ultimate goal remains to gain control over Kyiv and Odesa.

Putin hoped to convince Donald Trump to force Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to relinquish the remaining part of the Donetsk region, in order to compensate for the slow progress on the front line. He made this proposal at a summit in Alaska in August 2025. Although the U.S. considered this option, Trump did not begin to impose such an agreement on Ukraine.

At the same time, whereas the Kremlin previously attempted to create the illusion that it was slowly but inevitably "pressuring" Ukraine, Putin's rhetoric has now changed. "In the future, Putin plans to raise the price of any ceasefire by strengthening Russia's territorial claims," sources have informed journalists.