Putin still aims to seize all of Ukraine and parts of Europe - Reuters
Vladimir Putin (photo: Getty Images)
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin still intends to seize all of Ukraine and reclaim parts of Europe that once belonged to the Soviet Union, despite efforts by Russian negotiators to end the war, reports Reuters.
According to the agency, six sources familiar with US intelligence assessments said Washington holds this view. One of the sources noted that the most recent assessment dates back to late September.
The US conclusions have remained unchanged since Putin launched the full-scale invasion in 2022. Sources say these assessments largely align with the views of European leaders and intelligence services, which believe the Russian dictator aims to take over all of Ukraine and territories of former Soviet states, including countries that are now members of NATO.
“The intelligence has always been that Putin wants more. The Europeans are convinced of it. The Poles are absolutely convinced of it. The Baltics think they're first,” said Mike Quigley, a Democrat and a member of the US House Intelligence Committee.
Russia prepares for war with NATO
In September 2025, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said that threats coming from Russia concern not only Ukraine but the entire Western world.
According to him, Moscow is shifting its economy onto a war footing, expanding weapons production, and increasingly mobilizing people - steps needed for ongoing combat operations. In this way, Russia aims to be ready for a large-scale confrontation with NATO by 2030.
According to assessments by analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia is intensifying its covert attacks against Europe and has already entered the zero phase of preparation for a possible war with NATO.
In particular, on December 17, there was the first recorded case of Russian military personnel in uniform crossing the territory of a NATO country. The incident occurred in Estonia, where a violation of the control line on the Narva River was recorded near the Vasknarva pier.
A day earlier, Vice Admiral Mike Utley of the UK Royal Navy, who heads NATO’s Allied Maritime Command, said that the Alliance’s armed forces currently lack the resilience needed to fight a prolonged war. He stressed that the military must prepare for a more complex battlefield, ranging from cyber threats to conventional warfare.
Meanwhile, Vanity Fair recently published an interview with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. According to her, US President Donald Trump does not believe that Putin wants peace. He believes the Kremlin leader wants all of Ukraine.
