U.S. intelligence agencies said Monday that Vladimir Putin still seeks to annex all of Ukraine and reclaim former Soviet territories in Europe, a view echoed by Polish officials.
What Russia Wants: US Intelligence Says Goals Unchanged
Reuters cites six sources with access to U.S. intelligence data, indicating that new reports present a different picture than that shown by Donald Trump and U.S. negotiators. According to these sources, Vladimir Putin seeks to end the war in Ukraine but has not altered his objectives since the full‑scale invasion in 2022. He continues to aim for full annexation of Ukraine and the recovery of former Soviet territories in Europe, including states that were once part of the Soviet bloc and now belong to NATO.
Poles Say They Are Absolutely Convinced
Polish officials reaffirm their certainty that Putin wants more: “Poles are absolutely convinced,” echoed by remarks from U.S. Congressman Mike Quigley, who said that intelligence has always indicated that “Putin wants more.” He added that European nations, including the Baltics, share this firm belief.
Next Negotiation Round in Florida
American negotiators will convene in Florida on Saturday with the Russian delegation led by Kirill Dmitriev. The U.S. side will be represented by White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son Jared Kushner, with possible participation from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting is the latest stage of talks intended to achieve a ceasefire, following this week’s Washington‑Kyiv discussions on security guarantees.
Pressure for Donbas Troop Withdrawal
These talks come shortly after Berlin negotiations involving Ukrainian politicians and U.S. officials, and a European leaders’ summit that covered U.S. and European cooperation on guaranteeing Ukraine’s security post‑conflict. Reuters notes that Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory. The U.S. seeks to pressure President Zelensky to withdraw Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk region as part of a peace settlement, a condition Ukrainian authorities are prepared to accept.
