Denys Davydov
Putin has concluded that military escalation is the best way to force Ukraine to negotiate on his terms, and that Trump is unlikely to do much to strengthen Ukraine's defense, Bloomberg reported citing people close to the Kremlin.
The Russians have already intensified attacks on military and civilian targets in Ukraine following the meeting of the two leaders in Anchorage last month. Putin intends to continue strikes on Ukraine's energy network and other infrastructure, sources said.
?? The negotiations in Alaska convinced Putin that Trump is not interested in intervening in the war, they added.
Moscow's recent tactics highlight how signals of restraint from Washington encourage the Kremlin, which continues a war of attrition aimed at forcing Ukraine to make concessions. Russian officials see this strategy as having the potential to weaken Ukraine's defense and create conditions for future negotiations.
In Anchorage, Putin proposed to cease hostilities and freeze the frontline in southern Ukraine if Kyiv agrees to hand over the non-occupied territories in two eastern regions. Ukraine rejected these conditions, and Putin believes this justifies his escalation, people close to the Kremlin said.
A month after the talks, drone and missile attacks increased by about 46%, according to data collected by Bloomberg based on information from the Ukrainian Air Force command. However, despite the increased intensity of air strikes, the pace of Russia's territorial advances has slowed.
?? Russia's summer offensive in 2025 failed to secure control over any of the targeted cities in eastern Ukraine, noted Alex Kokcharov, a geo-economics analyst at Bloomberg Economics.
On their part, Ukrainian forces have intensified drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, trying to limit fuel supplies to the front line. They hit oil refining facilities that account for about half of all Russian refining capacity, according to Bloomberg calculations.
Putin is also watching the war of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza, two people close to the Kremlin said. He considers Netanyahu's campaign in Gaza harsher than his war in Ukraine and notes that it is largely accepted by the US and European governments, which undermines their criticism of Moscow.
The Russian president will remain engaged in any dialogue with the US but will continue to do what he deems necessary, Kremlin sources added.
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