May the ultimatum of Donald Trumpto impose sanctions on Russia, to expire next Friday (08.08.2025) but it seems that Vladimir Putin He does not seem to succumb, while remaining committed to achieving his war goals in Ukraine.
As he reveals today (05.08.2025), citing Kremlin information sources, Vladimir Putin is committed to continuing the war and doubts the seriousness and rigor of the threats launched by Russia.
In particular, the US president threatens Russia with new sanctions and by imposing 100% duties on those countries buying Russian oil, such as China and India, unless Putin agrees on a ceasefire in the Ukraine War.
The Russian president remains convinced that his country and his military forces are winning the war, while he seems to question the impact that US sanctions can have on the Russian economy.
Putin has concluded that it is worth more prioritizing the achievement of his war goals in Ukraine even if it means he has to reject an opportunity to improve his relationships with the West and the US, reported two sources of information to Reuters.
It is recalled that Putin’s goal is first to fully understand Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, of Lugansk, her Zaporia and her Peninsa, which Russia claims and considers it its own and then to sit on the table of negotiations for a peace agreement.
«If Putin was able to fully understand these four regions he claims for Russia, he could argue that his war in Ukraine is successful“, Said James Rogers, author of the book” The Return of Russia “.
The three rounds of Russia -Ukraine spoken talks since last May have been an attempt by Moscow to convince Trump that Putin is open to reaching peace, but “the talks were deprived of real substance, with the exception of exchanges.”
Moscow emphasizes at every opportunity that it takes seriously the possibility of a peace agreement but states that the process is complicated because the positions of the two sides are diametrically opposed.
In particular, Russia requires the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the four regions above mentioned while requesting from the Kyiv to accept a neutral that will be combined with qualitative and quantitative restrictions in Ukrainian Armed force. The Ukrainian side has rejected these requests.
On the other hand, one of the sources of information that he spoke to Reuters pointed out that Putin is worried about the scenario that his relations with Trump could worsen, but still maintains the hope that he will restore Russia and US bilateral relations at a “friendly level”.
However, once the Russian troops go on the battlefields and exert strong military pressure on Ukraine, Putin believes that at the given time it is not right or the right time to end the war.
«The Kremlin leader appreciates his relationship with Trump and does not want to angered him, but at the same time he cannot afford to end the war just because the US president wants it.“, Said another Russian source.
Ukraine has suffered some of the largest territorial casualties of 2025, only within the last three months, including 502 square kilometers in July, according to the Black Bird Group, a Finland -based military analysis center. Overall, Russia has occupied about one fifth of Ukraine.
“The Russian Army General Staff told Putin that the Ukrainian front will collapse in two or three months,” says one of the Russian sources in Reuters while adding “Ukrainian and Western military sources acknowledge that Russia is making profits, but only gradually.”