Putin ignores Trump warnings, prepares for prolonged war - Reuters
President of the United States Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no fear of US President Donald Trump's threats and is preparing to continue military operations in Ukraine until the West agrees to his peace terms, Reuters reports.
According to Reuters, Putin's territorial demands may expand as Russian forces advance. Sources cited by the outlet say the president believes that Russia's economy and military are strong enough to withstand any additional Western measures.
At the same time, Russian sources told Reuters that Putin has no intention of ending the war under Western pressure. He reportedly believes that, having endured the harshest sanctions to date, Russia can handle further economic strain — including the threat of US tariffs targeting buyers of Russian oil.
"Putin thinks no one has seriously engaged with him on the details of peace in Ukraine - including the Americans - so he will continue until he gets what he wants," one source told Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.
Despite phone calls between Trump and Putin, as well as visits to Russia by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Putin reportedly feels that the core elements of a peace plan have not been meaningfully addressed.
"Putin values the relationship with Trump and had good discussions with Witkoff, but the interests of Russia come above all else," the source added.
Another source suggested that Putin may seek even more territory if the war is not stopped, stating, "appetite comes with eating." Two additional sources independently confirmed this assessment.
It is likely, the report says, that Putin will continue fighting until Ukraine's defenses collapse, potentially expanding his territorial ambitions to include much larger parts of the country.
Shift in Trump's approach to Russia
In recent days, President Trump has once again expressed disappointment with Vladimir Putin over the lack of progress in peace negotiations regarding the war in Ukraine. He warned that if no agreement is reached within 50 days, the United States will impose new secondary tariffs.
Earlier, Trump accused Putin of feeding him total nonsense and stated he is very seriously considering a sanctions bill proposed by Senator Lindsey Graham. The proposed legislation would introduce import tariffs of up to 500% on countries that purchase Russian oil, gasoline, or petrochemical products.
For more on how Trump's stance toward Putin and Russia is evolving — and whether his threats could influence the course of the war — read our in-depth report.
